Calculate Velocity: Sandbag Position 1.25s After Release

  • Thread starter Heat
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In summary: Your logic is correct, the greatest height reached by the sandbag is 40m. However, your algebraic calculation is incorrect. The correct equation to use would be:vf^2 = vi^2 + 2adWhere vf is the final velocity (which is 0 since it reaches maximum height and then falls back down), vi is the initial velocity (which is 5m/s), a is the acceleration (-9.8m/s^2) and d is the displacement (which is the maximum height reached).Plugging in the values:0 = (5)^2 + 2(-9.8)d0
  • #1
Heat
273
0

Homework Statement



A hot-air balloonist, rising vertically with a constant velocity of magnitude v = 5.00 m/s, releases a sandbag at an instant when the balloon is a height h = 40.0 m above the ground After it is released, the sandbag is in free fall. For the questions that follow, take the origin of the coordinate system used for measuring displacements to be at the ground, and upward displacements to be positive.

Compute the position of the sandbag at a time 1.25 s after its release.

Homework Equations


Velocity = Initial Velocity + Acceleration(Time)

or




The Attempt at a Solution



From the problem I have been able to obtain the following values for the equation.

a = -9.8m/s^2
V initial = 0 m/s
X initial = 40m
time = 1.25s

so plugging these values in =

Vx = 0 + (-9.8)(1.25)
Vx = -12.25 m/s

Can anyone help me determine where I am making my mistake, or if it's all wrong. :(
 
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  • #2
how can x initial be 40m it states that the "height h = 40m"?
 
  • #3
isn't that when x is released at 40m.

so x initial = 0? and x final = 40?

also for a prior problem,

I did use x initial as 40, but time in earlier problem was .165s

so I did x-40.0 = 0 + .5(-.98)(.165)^2
and got 39.8666. ?? Which was right according to solution.
 
  • #4
well you're using the equation

[tex]x=x_{0}+v_{0x}t+\frac{1}{2}a_{x}t^{2}[/tex]

you need to replace the x's with y's so there is no confusion

[tex]y=y_{0}+v_{0y}t+\frac{1}{2}gt^{2}[/tex]

also, you don't want to assume that it hit the ground, it could still be in free fall. you can calculate when it does hit the ground though by finding when [tex]v_{y}=0[/tex]
 
Last edited:
  • #5
ok so it would be

y= 0 + 5m/s) + .5(-9.8)(1.25s)

= -71.56

how can y be (-)?
 
  • #6
releases a sandbag at an instant when the balloon is a height h = 40.0 m above the ground

what is y initial? and what is your equation supposed to be?

what kind of calculator are you using? i just calculated what you gave me and i got nothing close to that.
 
  • #7
"how can x initial be 40m it states that the "height h = 40m"?"

I believe there was a misunderstanding before, as I was already considering y initial is 40m.

y = 40 + 5(1.25)+.5(-9.8)(1.25)^2
= 38.69375
 
  • #8
Heat said:
"how can x initial be 40m it states that the "height h = 40m"?"

I believe there was a misunderstanding before, as I was already considering y initial is 40m.

y = 40 + 5(1.25)+.5(-9.8)(1.25)^2
= 38.69375
yes that's what i got, is that correct?
 
  • #9
yes :biggrin:

Thank you.
 
  • #10
a quickie, to determine velocity at .165

it would be Vy = V initial + at

= V = 5 + (-9.8)(.165)
the velocity at .165 seconds would be 3.383

does this sound correct?
 
  • #11
yes that is what i would do, so if it's wrong we're both wrong :D

but [tex]v_{y}=v_{0y}+gt[/tex] is the formula that would give you [tex]v_{y}[/tex] is quickest.
 
  • #12
thank you again, I managed to get that correct , so that means we are both right :)
 
  • #13
yes! victory :)
 
  • #14
another one, this time it tells me to recheck my calculations of sig figs

I need to find : How many seconds after its release will the bag strike the ground?

y-y initial = vinitiaal (time) + .5(g)(t^2)

I got:

-4.9x^2 + 5x + 45 = 0

I did quadratic formula and got

(-5 +- 30.11644069) / (-9.8)

t= -2.562 and t= 3.583

I choose positive time, and says to recheck my calculation or rounding errors sig figs. This only appears when answer is really near.
 
  • #15
i would say t = 3.60 s since all your other values have at least 3 sigs
 
  • #16
rocophysics said:
i would say t = 3.60 s since all your other values have at least 3 sigs

Incorrect. :(

I have one more try.

These are the answer I placed.

3.6 ...the program evaluated it as 3.60
3.58 ...the program evaluated it as 3.58
3.583310275 ...the program evaluated it as 3.58

but is the work correct, I tried going over and over, but I get the same number.:cry:
 
  • #17
Heat said:
another one, this time it tells me to recheck my calculations of sig figs

I need to find : How many seconds after its release will the bag strike the ground?

y-y initial = vinitiaal (time) + .5(g)(t^2)

I got:

-4.9x^2 + 5x + 45 = 0

I did quadratic formula and got

(-5 +- 30.11644069) / (-9.8)

t= -2.562 and t= 3.583

I choose positive time, and says to recheck my calculation or rounding errors sig figs. This only appears when answer is really near.
you put in your initial height as 45.0m, it should be 40.0m
 
  • #18
I got:

Velocity Initial (hereafter called Vi) = -5.00m/s
Acceleration (hereafter called a)= 9.81m/s^2
Time (hereafter called t)= 1.25s
Displacement (hereafter called s)= x

s=Vi*t + 1/2*a*t^2
x=(-5)(1.25)+(1/2)(9.81)(1.25^2)
x=(-6.25)+7.66
x=1.41

Therefore s=1.41.

In 1.25 seconds after being dropped, the body undergoes a displacement of 1.41m meaning that it is 38.59m above the ground.
 
  • #19
Sabellic said:
In 1.25 seconds after being dropped, the body undergoes a displacement of 1.41m meaning that it is 38.59m above the ground.
well you're substracting from your initial position, but why not go ahead and just compute it all together?
 
  • #20
well that 45 was the mistake, once I replaced it with 40 it was all good to go. :) thanks to all of you.
 
  • #21
the last part, I seem to be close to, but I believe I'm doing it the wrong way.

Question asks: What is the greatest height above the ground that the sandbag reaches?I would logically think that the greatest height above the ground that it reaches is 40m, as that's when it gets released.

The feedback I got this incorrect answer is to recheck calculation, or that I may have made rounding errors or sig figs..

and if I do it algebraically: it would look something like this ::

vx = vo + at

40.0 + (-9.8) (0)
= 40.0
 

1. How do you calculate velocity?

Velocity is calculated by dividing the distance traveled by an object by the time it takes to travel that distance. This can be represented by the equation v=d/t, where v is velocity, d is distance, and t is time.

2. What is the formula for calculating velocity?

The formula for calculating velocity is v=d/t, where v is velocity, d is distance, and t is time. This formula can also be rearranged to find any of the three variables, such as d=v*t or t=d/v.

3. How do you calculate the velocity of a moving object?

To calculate the velocity of a moving object, you need to know the distance it traveled and the time it took to travel that distance. Once you have these values, you can use the formula v=d/t to find the velocity.

4. What is the unit of velocity?

The unit of velocity is typically measured in meters per second (m/s) in the metric system or feet per second (ft/s) in the imperial system. However, it can also be measured in other units such as kilometers per hour (km/h) or miles per hour (mph).

5. Can you calculate velocity from a single data point?

No, velocity cannot be calculated from a single data point. To calculate velocity, you need at least two data points - the distance traveled and the time it took to travel that distance. With only one data point, you cannot determine the speed or direction of the object's movement and therefore cannot calculate its velocity.

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