Position & Velocity of Golf Ball Dropped from Empire State Building

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To calculate the position and velocity of a golf ball dropped from the Empire State Building, the key equations involve acceleration due to gravity, which is 9.8 m/s². After 1.0 seconds, the ball's speed is 9.8 m/s; after 2.0 seconds, it reaches 19.6 m/s; and after 3.0 seconds, it attains 29.4 m/s. The distance fallen can be calculated using the kinematic equation d = 0.5 * a * t². The discussion emphasizes understanding acceleration and velocity relationships without complicating the concepts. The ball continues to accelerate indefinitely without reaching terminal velocity, as air resistance is neglected.
ganon00
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Neglecting air resistance, calculate the position (in meters) and velocity
(in m/s) of a golf ball that is dropped from the empire state building after 1.0s, 2.0s, and 3.0 s with the release point.
 
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One is expected to some some effort in answering the question...
 
all i need is the equation to solve this problem... not the answer...

i'm partially leaning toward, v=delta(d)/delta(t) a=delta(v)/delta(t)
 
After the ball is release, what force(s) are acting on the ball?
 
9.8m/s, which is gravity
 
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ganon00 said:
im guessing 9.8m/s, which is gravity
That is an acceleration, not a force, but it was where I was leading to so no worries. Now, if an object starts at rest and accelerates at 9.8m/s2 (note the squared as opposed to your units) how fast will be be traveling after one second?
 
9.8meters after 1 second
then is it doubled and tripled after 2 and 3 seconds
 
ganon00 said:
9.8meters after 1 second
then is it doubled and tripled after 2 and 3 seconds
I said how fast not how far.
 
how fast...9.8m/s

this is where I am stuck i don't know... terminal velocity I am guessing

so possibly 75mi/hr after 5 seconds
 
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  • #10
ganon00 said:
how fast...9.8m/s
Yes, that is correct. Have you met kinematic equations before? If not are you comfortable with energy conservation?
 
  • #11
no i do not know kinematic equations, but i do know a little about energy conservation...note: i have only been familiar with physics for about a week now.0.5m/s after 1.0seconds... possibly
 
  • #12
i got 0.5m/s by solving for acceleration by dividing the change in velocity/over the time taken
 
  • #13
i crunched a few numbers and I am coming up with this for the answer is this correct:

after 1.0seconds its speed is 0.5m/s
after 2.0seconds its speed is 1.0m/s
after 3.0seconds its speed is 1.5m/s
 
  • #14
ganon00 said:
i crunched a few numbers and I am coming up with this for the answer is this correct:

after 1.0seconds its speed is 0.5m/s
after 2.0seconds its speed is 1.0m/s
after 3.0seconds its speed is 1.5m/s

What are you doing? You have given me the correct answer in one of your above posts;

after 1.0 second speed = 9.8m/s
after 2.0 seconds speed = 2 x 9.8 m/s
after 3.0 seconds speed = 3 x 9.8 m/s

Do you follow?
 
  • #15
so all i have to do to get the answer is to multiply 9.8 by two and 3

there has to be more than thatim really trying to understand
 
  • #16
there is not more than that--you are over complicating the simple concept of acceleration. 1m/s^2 means one meter per second PER SECOND. which means that every second it is going one meter per second faster. so 9.8 m/(ss) means 9.8 after one second, 9.8*2 after two and so on.
do you know any calculus?
 
  • #17
Yeah...this is an incredibly easy physics question , you're stressing too much over it.
 
  • #18
acceleration = velocity/time
velocity = acceleration * time
Thats all there is to the velocity part. Because you are neglecting air resistance, the ball will continue to accelerate infinitely with no terminal velocity.
Distance is a little trickier, you need the kinematic d=vo+.5at^2, which simplifies to 1/2at^2 in your case. When you do calculus, youll realize that this relationship between distance and acceleration is an anti-derivitive and there's a reason for that. But for now, just plug and chug
 
  • #19
ok i think then i got the answer to you the prob...

after 1.0seconds its speed is 9.8m/s
after 2.0seconds its speed is 19.6m/s
after 3.0seconds its speed is 29.4m/s


and i haven't taken calculus yet just algebra 2 I'm a freshman in high school.
 
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