Recent content by physicspupil

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    Kinetic energy of inelastic collision problem

    Hi, rock.freak667, isn't your answer the amount of the original remaining (not lost)? I'm not sure, I'll check my work again. Man's kinetic energy isn't effected much but spitball's is - I think that's what makes me uncomfortable about these problem w/o numbers - harder to get an intuitive...
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    Conservation Laws and Projectile Motion

    Thanks, Mindscrape I figured out how to write my v1 and v2 in terms of v0, so I think I can do it now.
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    Kinetic energy of inelastic collision problem

    Homework Statement A particle of mass m1 and velocity u1 collides with a particle of mass m2 at rest. The two particles stick together. What fraction of the original kinetic energy is lost in the collision? Homework Equations Conservation of momentum law The Attempt at a Solution...
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    Conservation Laws and Projectile Motion

    Homework Statement A cannon in a fort overlooking the ocean fires a shell of mass M at an elevation angle, theta and muzzle velocity, v0. At the highest point, the shell explodes into two fragments (masses m1 + m2 = M), with an additional energy E, traveling in the original horizontal...
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    I think I made a bad choice and too bad I don't have a time machine

    I'm from the US, so I'm not too familiar with Canada's secondary school system. You guys probably have tougher schools than us, so the following may not apply. That said, with your scores, engineering or physics may not be the best choice (unless, of course, you really weren't applying...
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    Math Needed for Physics: How Much is Enough?

    As a person with an undergrad degree in math who is now studying physics, here's my take: The math required in physics is different than the math required for math's sake (I'm not too far along in physics - just started the upper division stuff, but that's my take so far). For example, in...
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    How do I find the Fourier Series for F(t) = sin(wt)?

    Homework Statement Consider F(t) = sin(wt) when 0 < t < pi/w and 0 when pi/w < t < 2pi/w. Where w is the frequency and t is the time. Find the Fourier Series Homework Equations F(t) = sum of (ck e^ikt) See attached doc with math type; its a lot more readable. The Attempt...
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    Finding frequency of a pendulum with a cycloidal path

    Homework Statement A pendulum is suspended from the cusp of a cycloid cut in a rigid support. The path described by the pendulum bob is cycloidal and given by x = a(phi – sin(phi)) y = a(cos(phi) – 1) where the length of the pendulum is l = 4a, and where phi is the angle of rotation...
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    Showing position vector follows parabolic path

    x(t) = x1 * [r(t) – r] = x1 * (½ at^2 + vt) = x1 * ½ at^2 + x1 * vt (since a not || v, then v not perpendicular to x) = 0 + |x1||v|cos(theta) = vtcos(theta) where v is now a scalar Similarly y(t) = (½ at^2 + vt)cos(theta) So now do I do this… ½ at^2 + vt = B (vt)^2...
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    Showing position vector follows parabolic path

    Homework Statement Hi, got my HW back from prof. There were a few problems... I want to understand these before the test. Show that r(t) = (at^2)/2 + vt + r lies in a plane and that if a and v are not parallel, then r(t) traces out a parabola. Note a, v, and r are constant vectors here...
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