Find the magnitude of the speed

In summary: Therefore,v(0) = (gTc/2)2 + (D/Tc + Vr)2So, the speed at which the QB must throw the ball is:v(0) = (gTc/2)2 + (D/Tc + Vr)2
  • #1
ScullyX51
36
0

Homework Statement


A quarterback is set up to throw the football to a receiver who is running with a constant vr directly away from the quarterback and is now a distance D away from the quarterback. The quarterback figures that the ball must be thrown at an angle theta to the horizontal and he estimates that the receiver must catch the ball a time interval tc after it is thrown to avoid having opposition players prevent the receiver from making the catch. In the following you may assume that the ball is thrown and caught at the same height above the level playing field. Assume that the y coordinate of the ball at the instant it is thrown or caught is y = 0 and that the horizontal position of the quaterback is x=0.
Use g for the magnitude of the acceleration due to gravity, and use the pictured inertial coordinate system when solving the problem.
Find the speed v(0) with which the quarterback must throw the ball.
Answer in terms of D, tc, vr, and g.


Homework Equations



v= the square root of the velocity squared


The Attempt at a Solution


I got the following components (according to mastering physics, they are correct):
Viy= gtc^2/2tc
(tc=t catch)
Vix= D+vrtc/tc

To get the magnitude of the velocity I put () around both the x and y components of velocity, added them and took the square root, but mastering physics is saying that is wrong. Any ideas? I also need to find the angle.
 
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  • #2
So you did this:

[tex] \sqrt{(x) + (y)} [/tex]

In actual fact you should have done this:

[tex] \sqrt{x^2 + y^2} [/tex]
 
  • #3
ScullyX51 said:

Homework Statement


A quarterback is set up to throw the football to a receiver who is running with a constant vr directly away from the quarterback and is now a distance D away from the quarterback. The quarterback figures that the ball must be thrown at an angle theta to the horizontal and he estimates that the receiver must catch the ball a time interval tc after it is thrown to avoid having opposition players prevent the receiver from making the catch. In the following you may assume that the ball is thrown and caught at the same height above the level playing field. Assume that the y coordinate of the ball at the instant it is thrown or caught is y = 0 and that the horizontal position of the quaterback is x=0.
Use g for the magnitude of the acceleration due to gravity, and use the pictured inertial coordinate system when solving the problem.
Find the speed v(0) with which the quarterback must throw the ball.
Answer in terms of D, tc, vr, and g.

Homework Equations



v= the square root of the velocity squared

The Attempt at a Solution


I got the following components (according to mastering physics, they are correct):
Viy= gtc^2/2tc
(tc=t catch)
Vix= D+vrtc/tc

To get the magnitude of the velocity I put () around both the x and y components of velocity, added them and took the square root, but mastering physics is saying that is wrong. Any ideas? I also need to find the angle.

A couple of things.

First your equation for Vx should be D/Tc +Vr

Vy = gTc/2

Vo2 = (gTc/2)2 + (D/Tc + Vr)2
 

What is the definition of magnitude of speed?

The magnitude of speed refers to the absolute value or numerical value of an object's velocity, without taking into account its direction.

How is the magnitude of speed different from speed?

Speed is a vector quantity that includes both magnitude and direction, while the magnitude of speed only refers to the numerical value without considering direction.

How do you calculate the magnitude of speed?

The magnitude of speed can be calculated by taking the absolute value of an object's velocity, which is the rate of change of its position over time.

What is the unit of measurement for magnitude of speed?

The unit of measurement for magnitude of speed is typically meters per second (m/s) in the SI system, or other similar units such as miles per hour (mph) or kilometers per hour (km/h).

Why is it important to find the magnitude of speed in scientific research?

Finding the magnitude of speed is important in scientific research as it helps to accurately describe and understand the motion of objects, which is crucial in fields such as physics, engineering, and astronomy. It also allows for comparison and analysis of different objects and their velocities.

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