# How to extract information from question given that u=0

## Homework Statement

An electron falls through a distance of 1.5 cm in a uniform electric field of magnitude 2.0 x https://www.physicsforums.com/callto:104 [Broken] N C-1. The direction of the field is reversed keeping its magnitude unchanged and a proton falls through the same distance . Compute the time of fall in each case

s=ut +1/2 at^2

## The Attempt at a Solution

In my book the following formula is used
t=√2s/a
here s is distance and a is acceleration
it is used when u is zero
u here means initial velocity
so my query is why should we take initial velocity to be zero as nothing such is mentioned in the question

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RUber
Homework Helper
I think this is a standard assumption when you are given no information that the electron was already moving.
If I said, a ball falls 1.5cm under uniform gravity, how long does the ball fall for? You might intuitively assume that the initial downward velocity of the ball is 0.

gracy
initial downward velocity of the ball is 0.
And what about velocity in other directions?

why should we take initial velocity to be zero as nothing such is mentioned in the question
I think answer is hidden in my question only!as nothing such is mentioned in the question, we should assume that.

RUber