How Far and Fast Must a Receiver Run to Catch a Football?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the distance a receiver must run and the speed required to catch a football thrown by a quarterback at 18 m/s at a 35-degree angle. The problem is divided into two parts: first, determining the ball's trajectory and time of flight, and second, calculating the receiver's required speed based on the distance to the ball's landing point. The absence of external forces simplifies the calculations, allowing for straightforward application of kinematic equations.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of projectile motion and kinematics
  • Familiarity with trigonometric functions for angle calculations
  • Knowledge of basic physics equations for distance, speed, and time
  • Ability to perform vector decomposition of velocity
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  • Study projectile motion equations in physics
  • Learn how to decompose vectors into horizontal and vertical components
  • Explore one-dimensional kinematics problems
  • Practice solving problems involving angles and speeds in sports scenarios
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for physics students, coaches, and anyone interested in understanding the mechanics of sports, particularly in calculating player movements in response to thrown objects.

neochris
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A quarter back throws a ball 18 m/s at an angle of 35 degrees above the horizontal. Standing 18 m away is the receiver. How far does the receiver have to go and at what speed must he travel to catch the ball.

Assume that the delta Y is 0.
Assume that the receiver leaves the same time the ball is thrown.
No outside forces.
 
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I think this belongs in the homework help section. It's a two-part problem, you'll notice. For the first part, ignore the receiver, and just figure out where the ball is going and when it will get there. You should have an equation (or several) to get that answer.

Then, figure out how far the receiver has to go, how long she has to get there, and thus how fast she needs to run to get there. That's just a one-dimensional kinematics problem, and with no acceleration, so that part's easy.

P
 

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