Equation for airtime given velocity?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Toptomcat
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Velocity
AI Thread Summary
To determine the airtime of an object thrown straight up at a given velocity in a vacuum on Earth, the relevant equation is derived from kinematics: 0 = v*t + 1/2at^2, where 'd' is the displacement, 'v' is the initial velocity, 'a' is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately -9.8 m/s²), and 't' is time. For example, if a baseball is thrown upward at 20 m/s, the equation simplifies to 0 = 20t - 4.9t². This leads to a quadratic equation that can be solved for 't' using the quadratic formula or by factoring. The discussion emphasizes understanding the relationship between displacement and time in projectile motion. The final airtime can be calculated by solving the resulting equation for 't'.
Toptomcat
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Equation for air time given velocity?

Homework Statement


Given a certain velocity going straight up in a vacuum on Earth from y = 0 m, how long does a mass remain in the air? Create an equation.
(So, for example, if you throw a baseball up at 20 m/second, how long will it take for it to fall back to your hand?)


Homework Equations


Unsure...d = v*t + 1/2at^2?


The Attempt at a Solution


I know that this should be really elementary, but I must be really sleep-deprived because I'm just not seeing how to extrapolate it from my standard kinematics equations.
For the record, this isn't the whole question, just the part of a lab I'm hung up on...so please don't think I'm trying to get you guys to do my job for me.
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
You have the correct equation. Just consider this: the d is a vector. It represents the "displacement," or the straight line distance between the initial and final positions of the mass.

Now assume that the mass falls back to the its initial position. What is d =?
 
Oh. Okay. So for the sample;
0 = 20*t + 1/2(-9.8)t^2
0 = 20t + -4.9t^2
0 = 20t - -4.9t^2...
...apply Quadratic Formula at this point?
 
Last edited:
No, it's easier than that. Subtract 20t from both sides. then...
 
Kindly see the attached pdf. My attempt to solve it, is in it. I'm wondering if my solution is right. My idea is this: At any point of time, the ball may be assumed to be at an incline which is at an angle of θ(kindly see both the pics in the pdf file). The value of θ will continuously change and so will the value of friction. I'm not able to figure out, why my solution is wrong, if it is wrong .
TL;DR Summary: I came across this question from a Sri Lankan A-level textbook. Question - An ice cube with a length of 10 cm is immersed in water at 0 °C. An observer observes the ice cube from the water, and it seems to be 7.75 cm long. If the refractive index of water is 4/3, find the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. I could not understand how the apparent height of the ice cube in the water depends on the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. Does anyone have an...
Back
Top