2-D Kinematics

1. Sep 15, 2006

Joules23

The 1994 Winter Olympics included the aerials competition in skiing. In this event skiers speed down a ramp that slopes sharply upward at the end. The sharp upward slope launches them into the air, where they perform acrobatic maneuvers. In the women's competition, the end of a typical launch ramp is directed 63° above the horizontal. With this launch angle, a skier attains a height of 11.7 m above the end of the ramp. What is the skier's launch speed?

i dont know where to begin with this since so little info is given,

2. Sep 15, 2006

NateTG

This is mostly a 1-D problem.

3. Sep 15, 2006

Joules23

ok, i have the 3 sides of the traingle, but i do now know what to do with them, 13.13, 11.7, 5.96

4. Sep 15, 2006

NateTG

Here's a slightly easier problem you could solve first:
If I throw a ball straight up, how fast do I need to throw it so that it goes up 11.7 meters?

5. Sep 15, 2006

Joules23

EDIT: u are right it is too high.. 15.14m/s is the right one i think

Last edited: Sep 15, 2006
6. Sep 15, 2006

NateTG

That number seems a bit high ....

Now, let's say that I throw the ball at a 45 degree angle with horizontal instead of straight up - how fast do I have to throw it?

7. Sep 15, 2006

Joules23

i have no idea

8. Sep 15, 2006

Joules23

9. Sep 15, 2006

NateTG

What's the vertical component of the velocity of the ball when I throw it?

10. Sep 15, 2006

Joules23

10.7m/s ??

11. Sep 15, 2006

NateTG

It would only go up about 5m if that was the vertical component.

12. Sep 15, 2006

Joules23

Vy of the ball at 45degrees or Vy of the ball thrown straight up??? wow if every problem is going to take me this long i think ill be done next month
can you give me a forumla or something for the actual problem

Last edited: Sep 15, 2006
13. Sep 15, 2006

Joules23

anyone? im completely lost

14. Sep 15, 2006

NateTG

The way I would do this problem is:
1. Figure out the vertical component of the skiers velocity at the end of the ramp.
2. Use trig to determine the total velocity.

15. Sep 15, 2006

Joules23

How would i find the vertical component of the skiers velocity, when it does not give the velocity

IS 11.7 the vertical component?

Last edited: Sep 15, 2006
16. Sep 15, 2006

NateTG

The horizontal and vertical components are independant.