How high and how fast will a 25 kg rocket fly without air resistance?

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
4 replies · 2K views
David Donald
Messages
31
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


A 25 kg Rocket generates 400 N of thrust. It is designed to burn its fuel for
40 seconds. If launched vertically what will its final vertical velocity be when the fuel runs out? How high can it fly? How long until it reaches the ground? Neglect mass of fuel, and air resistance.

Please check over my work I feel like I may be making a mistake somewhere

Homework Equations


Kinematics Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


First I summed the forces in the Y direction
ΣFy = Ft - Fg = ma
= (400N - 245N)/(25kg) = a = 6.2 m/s^2

Final Vertical Velocity
Vfy = Voy + at
Vfy = 6.2 m/s^2 * 40s = 248 m/s

(Height when fuel runs out)

Yf = Yo + Voy*t + (1/2)a t^2
Yf = (1/2)*(6.2 m/s^2) (40)^2 = 4960 meters

(FINAL HEIGHT)

Vfy = Voy + at
0 = 248 m/s - 9.8m/s^2 t = 25.31 seconds <---- Time of Final Height

Yf = Yo + Voy*t + (1/2)at^2
Yf = 4960m + 248 m/s * 25.31 s = 11385.7 meters

(How Long until it reaches the ground)
I'm confused how to solve this part...
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Everything looks good up to here:
David Donald said:
Yf = Yo + Voy*t + (1/2)at^2
Yf = 4960m + 248 m/s * 25.31 s = 11385.7 meters
What about the (1/2)at2 term in the equation above?

(How Long until it reaches the ground)
I'm confused how to solve this part...
Can you specify in more detail what is confusing your here?
 
I forgot to include the negative acceleration due to gravity right?
i'm not sure how to find the time of max flight...
 
David Donald said:
I forgot to include the negative acceleration due to gravity right?
Right.
i'm not sure how to find the time of max flight...
Not sure what you mean by "max flight". Try to find the time from "burn out" until the rocket hits the ground. During this time the rocket is in free fall.

{EDIT: Or, you can try to find the time from the point of max height until the rocket hits the ground. This will be easier. You already know the time to reach max height.}
 
Nevermind I figured it out, thank you!