Building a Manual Ball Launcher: Solving the 22ft Roll Distance at a 45° Angle

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In summary, a salesperson is looking for the height of a 45 degree angled piece of wood at its back end in order for a 3 inch wooden ball to roll 22 feet on a wooden surface. However, the answer cannot be determined without considering factors such as rolling resistance, ball diameter and weight, and the impact of the slope change.
  • #1
czieg98629
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Can anyone answer this question-

I have a 3 inch ball. I want to build a manual ball launcher. I need to get the ball to roll 22 feet. At a 45 degree angle how high would the "launcher" have from the ground?

Thank You
 
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  • #2
welcome to pf!

hi czieg98629! welcome to pf! :wink:

(is 45° the slope of the ground, or the slope of the launcher? :confused:)

show us what equations you've tried, and where you're stuck, and then we'll know how to help! :smile:
 
  • #3
45 degrees is the ball launcher.

I am a sales person --don't have an math formula-- so i was looking for how many inches the ball launcher would need to be in this forum
 
  • #4
czieg98629 said:
Can anyone answer this question-

I have a 3 inch ball. I want to build a manual ball launcher. I need to get the ball to roll 22 feet. At a 45 degree angle how high would the "launcher" have from the ground?

Thank You

czieg98629 said:
45 degrees is the ball launcher.

I am a sales person --don't have an math formula-- so i was looking for how many inches the ball launcher would need to be in this forum

Welcome to the PF.

What is the context of the question? Is it for your sales job somehow?

Surely you can appreciate that the answer will depend on the type of ball and type of surface it is landing on. You don't need to launch a steel ball very far to get it to roll 22 feet on concrete. But it it is landing on grass and rolling...
 
  • #5
It is a wood ball on a wood surface.
 
  • #6
hmm … you've asked how high the launcher needs to be :confused:

i originally assumed you meant a spring-operated launcher, in which case the important measurement would be the strength of the spring

but do you instead mean a "ski-jump" launcher, where you let the ball run down a 45° slope which ends above the ground?
 
  • #7
The problem isn't well described but let's say...

You have a 45 degree ramp which the ball has to roll down.
Then when it gets to the bottom the ball has to roll 22 feet along the ground.
How high does the ramp have to be?

If that's the problem we can't answer the question. You would need to know how much friction there was between the ground and the ball. The simplest way to work that out would be to build one and try it.
 
  • #8
The launcher is a piece of wood at a 45 degree angle. The front part touches the ground. The question is how high the back part of the wood would have to be for the ball to to 22 feet.
 
  • #9
czieg98629 said:
The launcher is a piece of wood at a 45 degree angle. The front part touches the ground. The question is how high the back part of the wood would have to be for the ball to to 22 feet.

czieg98629, this isn't exactly rocket engineering! :biggrin:

it's just a cheap plank of wood, which you can easily place at 45° by simply leaning it against a wall

so try it! :smile:​
 
  • #10
czieg98629 said:
The launcher is a piece of wood at a 45 degree angle. The front part touches the ground. The question is how high the back part of the wood would have to be for the ball to to 22 feet.

It's not possible to answer this question for the reason I gave before.

If the floor was made of ice or glass the ball would roll further than if it was made of mud or carpet.
 
  • #11
It depends not just on rolling resistance, but also ball diameter and weight. The rolling resistance of wood on wood is roughly .0015
 
  • #12
If the slope changes abruptly from 45 degrees to horizontal there will be some loss due to the impact. Better would be a more gradual change. The radius of curvature of this should be greater than that of the ball.
 

Related to Building a Manual Ball Launcher: Solving the 22ft Roll Distance at a 45° Angle

1. How does the angle of the ball launcher affect the distance the ball travels?

The angle of the ball launcher affects the distance the ball travels by changing the vertical and horizontal components of the ball's velocity. A higher angle will result in a greater vertical velocity, causing the ball to travel higher but not as far horizontally. A lower angle will have less vertical velocity and more horizontal velocity, resulting in a longer horizontal distance.

2. What factors influence the speed of the ball when it is launched?

The speed of the ball when launched is influenced by several factors, including the initial force applied to the ball, the angle at which it is launched, and air resistance. Increasing the initial force and launching at a lower angle will result in a faster ball speed. Air resistance will also play a role in decreasing the speed of the ball.

3. Can the mass of the ball affect its trajectory when launched?

Yes, the mass of the ball can affect its trajectory when launched. A heavier ball will require more force to be launched at the same speed as a lighter ball. This means that the trajectory of a heavier ball may be lower and shorter compared to a lighter ball when launched with the same initial force.

4. How does the surface of the ball launcher affect the distance the ball travels?

The surface of the ball launcher can affect the distance the ball travels by providing more or less friction. A smoother surface will result in less friction, allowing the ball to travel further. Conversely, a rougher surface will create more friction, causing the ball to lose speed and travel a shorter distance.

5. What is the relationship between the height of the ball launcher and the distance the ball travels?

The height of the ball launcher has a direct relationship with the distance the ball travels. The higher the ball launcher is, the greater the potential energy it has, resulting in a longer distance traveled by the ball. However, this also depends on the angle at which the ball is launched and other factors such as air resistance.

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