Initial Velocity: Stone Released from Balloon

In summary, the initial velocity of the stone released from a balloon moving upwards is the same as the velocity of the balloon, but with the same sign. This is because the stone and the balloon are moving in the same direction. When the stone is released, it continues to move upwards with the balloon, but eventually its velocity will decrease and reach zero due to gravity.
  • #1
manimaran1605
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A stone released from balloon moving upwards with some constant velocity, the initial velocity of stone is same as the velocity of balloon with opposite sign, but how? What i thought is that the instant stone is released which goes upwards with balloon, stone which is going upwards would stop (t=0) velocity (u=0).
 
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  • #2
manimaran1605 said:
A stone released from balloon moving upwards with some constant velocity, the initial velocity of stone is same as the velocity of balloon with opposite sign, but how? What i thought is that the instant stone is released which goes upwards with balloon, stone which is going upwards would stop (t=0) velocity (u=0).

So you're saying that there's NO difference between just releasing the stone from a stationary balloon that isn't moving? Think again.

Zz.
 
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  • #3
manimaran1605 said:
A stone released from balloon moving upwards with some constant velocity, the initial velocity of stone is same as the velocity of balloon with opposite sign, but how?
No, not opposite sign. Same sign.
What i thought is that the instant stone is released which goes upwards with balloon, stone which is going upwards would stop (t=0) velocity (u=0).
You're free to think whatever you want. That doesn't make it right.
 
  • #4
manimaran1605 said:
What i thought is that the instant stone is released which goes upwards with balloon, stone which is going upwards would stop (t=0) velocity (u=0).

Think about that for a moment. When you throw a stone upwards, you release it from your hand while your hand is moving upwards rapidly... What happens?
 
  • #5


This is a great observation! The reason for this is due to the conservation of momentum. When the stone is released from the balloon, it acquires the same momentum as the balloon but in the opposite direction. This is because the momentum of the system (balloon + stone) must remain constant. So, as the balloon moves upwards with a certain velocity, the stone will also move upwards with the same velocity but in the opposite direction. This is known as Newton's Third Law of Motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. So, in this case, the balloon pushing the stone upwards is the action, and the stone moving downwards with the same velocity is the reaction. I hope this helps to clarify the concept of initial velocity in this scenario.
 

1. What is initial velocity?

Initial velocity is the speed at which an object starts moving in a particular direction. It is usually denoted as u or v0 in equations.

2. How is initial velocity calculated?

Initial velocity can be calculated using the formula v0 = (xf - x0) / t, where xf is the final position, x0 is the initial position, and t is the time.

3. What factors affect initial velocity?

The initial velocity of an object can be affected by several factors including the force applied, the angle at which it is released, air resistance, and gravity.

4. How does initial velocity impact the motion of an object?

The initial velocity of an object determines its speed and direction of motion. The object will continue to move at a constant velocity if no other external forces act upon it.

5. Can initial velocity be negative?

Yes, initial velocity can be negative if the object is moving in the negative direction. This is usually indicated by a negative sign in equations and represents the direction of motion.

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