Find the Height of the Elevator

[Cake]

Homework Statement

An elevator rises at a constant velocity. A marble is dropped from a hole in the elevator at time T_1. It accelerates downward at 9.8 m/s^2 and hits the floor at time T_2. Define the height at time T_1

Homework Equations

y=y_0+v_0 t-1/2gt^2

The Attempt at a Solution

So this sounds easy as cake. The initial velocity is 0 and we can assume T_1 is 0. Ok, so I can define the function of position as:

y=y_0-4.9t^2 which at time T_2 equals 0.

so

y_0=4.9(T_2)^2

Sound reasonable?

But for some reason the hint in the back of the book is this example of what the answer is supposed to look like. It says:

T_1=T_2=4 then y_0=39.2

Which doesn't line up with my equation that I've used to determine the height. So idk. What did I do wrong?

 

[Nathanael]

So this sounds easy as cake.

:)

Homework Statement

An elevator rises at a constant velocity. A marble is dropped from a hole in the elevator at time T_1. It accelerates downward at 9.8 m/s^2 and hits the floor at time T_2. Define the height at time T_1

I don't understand. Are we dropping the marble through the floor of the elevator to find the height of the elevator above the ground? Or are we dropping the marble through the roof of the elevator to find how tall the elevator(-box) is? Or something else I am misunderstanding?

The initial velocity is 0

The initial velocity of what is zero, the marble? Zero with respect to what?

 

[Cake]

It's really not that detailed man. Consider the marble and elevator just two particles. And the marble has zero initial velocity because it's dropped down without any velocity being given to it by the kid dropping it.

 

[phinds]

It's really not that detailed man. Consider the marble and elevator just two particles. And the marble has zero initial velocity because it's dropped down without any velocity being given to it by the kid dropping it.

Really? You are, presumably, using the floor that it lands on as your frame of reference. Do you really believe that the marble has zero initial velocity relative to that?

 

[Cake]

Really? You are, presumably, using the floor that it lands on as your frame of reference. Do you really believe that the marble has zero initial velocity relative to that?

I see what you're getting at.
How's this to define the velocity:

v=-v_0+gt for t≥T_1

so the position is:

y=y_0-v_0+gt-4.9t^2

at t=T_2 the height is 0, so:

y_0=v_0-9.8T_2+4.9T_2^2

I get it. The signs are a bit funky for me but it's good. I sort of worked the velocity function to fit the results of the hint. But doesn't the initial velocity still have to be zero for this equation to hold and still fit the hint?

 

[phinds]

The problem statement says that the elevator is traveling upward at a constant velocity. RELATIVE TO WHAT? Do you understand that it is utterly meaningless to say "this thing is moving" unless you say what it is moving relative TO ?

 

[Cake]

The problem statement says that the elevator is traveling upward at a constant velocity. RELATIVE TO WHAT? Do you understand that it is utterly meaningless to say "this thing is moving" unless you say what it is moving relative TO ?

Lose the CAPS lock. Use italics instead. Has more class and doesn't come off as abrasive :D

Edit: Added smiley so I don't sound abrasive.

And yes, I do understand frames of reference enough to know what you're saying. But it's not stated in the book. So I just assumed it was from the elevator's frame of reference. And that seems to fit the results that agree with the hint in the back of the book. Thank you for the insight.

 

[phinds]

Lose the CAPS lock. Use italics instead. Has more class and doesn't come off as abrasive :D

Edit: Added smiley so I don't sound abrasive.

And yes, I do understand frames of reference enough to know what you're saying. But it's not stated in the book. So I just assumed it was from the elevator's frame of reference. And that seems to fit the results that agree with the hint in the back of the book. Thank you for the insight.

But you specifically say that the elevator is moving. Even though you don't say relative to what, it doesn't matter if you are then saying that the marble ISN"T moving. The marble and the elevator are together. Pick a frame of reference and stick with it. No matter WHAT frame of reference you choose, the elevator and the marble start off with the same velocity, as per the problem statement. That's what I've been trying to get you to see.

As for the caps, we all like to do what we're best at and abrasive is one of my best things

 

[Cake]

But you specifically say that the elevator is moving. Even though you don't say relative to what, it doesn't matter if you are then saying that the marble ISN"T moving. The marble and the elevator are together. Pick a frame of reference and stick with it. No matter WHAT frame of reference you choose, the elevator and the marble start off with the same velocity, as per the problem statement. That's what I've been trying to get you to see.

As for the caps, we all like to do what we're best at and abrasive is one of my best things :)

So just to be sure I'm not silly and completely missing your point:

If the FoR is the elevator the initial velocity of the marble when it drops is 0 because it's moving at a constant velocity, but only moving relative to the floor. Not to me. (If my understanding of SR hasn't failed me).

I think I see a better way to get the equation now. If my FoR is the floor, and I build a position function for the marble from the time the elevator leaves the ground to the time the marble hits the floor I get

y=v_0-9.8t for t<T_1

y=y_0-4.9t^2 for T_1≤t≤T_2

To find the height I set these equal to each other, and solve for y_0 to get:

y_0=v_0-9.8t+9.8t^2

so my answer is:

y_0=v_0-9.8T_2+9.8T_2^2

Is my understanding solid. Or is there something subtle I'm missing?

 

[phinds]

If the FoR is the elevator the initial velocity of the marble when it drops is 0 because it's moving at a constant velocity, but only moving relative to the floor. Not to me. (If my understanding of SR hasn't failed me).

No, if the FoR is the elevator, the initial velocity of the marble is 0 because it is NOT moving at a constant velocity or any other velocity. In the FoR of the elevator, the elevator is stationary and the marble is stationary (until released). In the FoR of the floor, both are traveling upwards at the same velocity at the point when the marble is released.