How High Does the Ball Hit the Cliff?

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In summary, a man standing 31 m from the base of a vertical cliff throws a ball with a speed of 38 m/s aimed at a point 5 m above the base of the cliff. The ball reaches the cliff in 0.82 seconds, hits a height of 1.66 m above the base of the cliff, and has a speed of 37.3 m/s when it reaches the cliff. To find the time at which the ball reaches its maximum vertical height, you need to use the correct formula, t = d/v, and also use the correct values for distance and velocity. Alternatively, you can use Pythagorean theorem to find the distance between the ball thrower and the point on the cliff he
  • #1
Bryon
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A man standing 31 m from the base of a vertical cliff throws a ball with a speed of 38 m/s aimed directly at a point 5 m above the base of the cliff.

Question:

How long does it take the ball to reach the cliff? 0.82s

Neglecting air resistance and the height of the man, calculate the height above the base of the cliff at which the ball hits. 1.66m

How fast is the ball moving when it reaches the cliff? 37.3m/s

Here is where I am having trouble...

At what time does the ball reach its largest vertical height?

I am sure that I have to find the intitial vertial velocity:

31 = 38cos(x)(0.82) where x is the angle x = 5.8 degrees


vy0 = 38sin(x) vy0 calculated to be 3.84

vf = v0 + at
0 = 3.84 + (-9.8)t = 0.39s

time to max height i figured to be 0.39s

This is the incorrect answer, what did I do wrong? Any suggestions?

Thanks!
 
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  • #2
I don't know how you got your value for x but I found a different value by putting x=arctan(A/B) where A = distance between man and base of cliff, and B = height of the cliff at which man is aiming.
 
  • #3
Hey I have a very similar problem. How did you get a time of 0.82s. My numbers were 28m, 7m, and V=33 m/s. I tried using inverse tan 7/28 to get theta, and then used that theta in t = (33 cos theta)/28. but that's wrong, can someone help?
 
  • #4
r34racer01 said:
Hey I have a very similar problem. How did you get a time of 0.82s. My numbers were 28m, 7m, and V=33 m/s. I tried using inverse tan 7/28 to get theta, and then used that theta in t = (33 cos theta)/28. but that's wrong, can someone help?

[tex]v = \frac{d}{t}[/tex]
therefore
[tex]t = \frac{d}{v}[/tex]

Instead, you wrote t=v/d. You multiplied cos(theta) by 33 and divided by 28, but 28 is distance and 33 is velocity. Alternatively, you can get the result by finding the length of the line between the ball thrower and the point on the cliff he is aiming using Pythagorean theorem. (which is basically what you're finding when multiplying 28 by cos(theta))
 
Last edited:

1. How high should a cliff be for a ball to reach the top when thrown?

The height of the cliff will depend on the initial velocity and angle at which the ball is thrown, as well as the acceleration due to gravity. Using the equation h = v2sin2(theta)/2g, where h is the height of the cliff, v is the initial velocity, theta is the angle of the throw, and g is the acceleration due to gravity, you can calculate the minimum height required for the ball to reach the top of the cliff.

2. Will a ball thrown at an angle reach a greater height than one thrown straight up?

Yes, a ball thrown at an angle will reach a greater height than one thrown straight up, assuming the initial velocity is the same. This is because the ball has both a vertical and horizontal component of velocity when thrown at an angle, allowing it to travel a greater distance before falling back to the ground.

3. How does air resistance affect the trajectory of a ball thrown to a cliff?

Air resistance, or drag, will cause the ball to experience a force in the opposite direction of its motion, slowing it down. This will result in a shorter horizontal distance traveled and a lower maximum height reached compared to a ball thrown in a vacuum. The exact effect of air resistance will depend on the speed and size of the ball, as well as the density of the air.

4. Can a ball thrown to a cliff ever reach the top if thrown at an angle less than 45 degrees?

Yes, a ball thrown at an angle less than 45 degrees can still reach the top of a cliff, as long as the initial velocity is high enough. However, it will require a higher initial velocity compared to throwing at a steeper angle.

5. How does the mass of the ball affect its trajectory when thrown to a cliff?

The mass of the ball will not affect its trajectory when thrown to a cliff, assuming the initial velocity and angle are the same. This is because the force of gravity acts on all objects equally, regardless of their mass. However, a heavier ball may experience less air resistance and therefore travel slightly farther than a lighter ball.

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