# Falling pot velocity

1. Jan 19, 2005

### reesejm

As you look out of your dorm window, a flower pot suddenly falls past. The pot is visible for a time t, and the vertical length of your window is Lw. Take down to be the positive direction, so that downward velocities are positive and the acceleration due to gravity is the positive quantity .

Assume that the flower pot was dropped by someone on the floor above you (rather than thrown downward).
From what height h above the bottom of your window was the flower pot dropped?

2. Jan 19, 2005

### Coldie

From the height of your window and the time it was visible, you can get the velocity, and from there you can get the distance above from the equation $$v_f^{2} = v_i^{2} + 2ad$$

You know the final velocity from the height of your window and time, you know the initial velocity was 0 unless it was thrown up or down (outward makes no difference since we are considering only motion in the vertical direction), you know the acceleration is gravity, and you know the distance is the height of your window. Can you plug all that in and solve for d?

3. Jan 20, 2005

### reesejm

I was able to figure it out, thanks