Projectile - 2D motion - incline - acceleration

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around calculating the maximum height and range of a test rocket fired from a 200m incline with an acceleration of 1.25 m/s². Participants explore the complexities of varying acceleration and the need to break the problem into two parts: the ascent along the ramp and the projectile motion after leaving the ramp. Initial calculations yield a maximum height of approximately 123.1m and a range of about 163.7m, though some participants express confusion over the results and the methodology used. The conversation highlights the importance of correctly applying kinematic equations and understanding the effects of gravity on projectile motion. Overall, the thread emphasizes the challenges of solving 2D motion problems involving acceleration and the need for careful calculation.
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Homework Statement


A test rocket is fired from rest at point (A) along (b) a 200m incline, accelerating 1.25 m/s2
2it0qv.png

Given:
b = 200 m, the angle at point A is 35°, a = 1.25 m/s2

a) Find the maximum height above the ground.
b) Find the greatest range.

Homework Equations


If it was a constant velocity I would have no problem solving this but I don't know how to deal with this acceleration. My book doesn't seem to help me, it is rated the most difficult in the chapter of 2-3D motions. but there are no examples with varing acceleration in the horizontal direction.

When velocity is given
v0y = v0 sinθ
vy = v0y - gt1 = 0
t1 = voy/g
h = voyt1 - ½gt12

vox = v0 cosθ
y = 0 = voyt2 - ½gt22 = t2(voy - ½gt2)
t2 = 2voy/g
R = voxt2

But how do I find these when its acceleration?

The Attempt at a Solution

 
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Hint: Consider dividing the problem into two parts.
 
Geofleur said:
Hint: Consider dividing the problem into two parts.
does it make sense to find the final velocity at the 200 m mark on the ramp then calculate the height of the triangle and then go from there?
 
Yes. That is splitting in two parts...
And: you seem to think the horizontal acceleration is varying. Why ?
 
BvU said:
Yes. That is splitting in two parts...
And: you seem to think the horizontal acceleration is varying. Why ?
Now that you say that it is very clear that it is! thank you so much <3
 
So, just for the sake of other readers ( :wink: ), where are we now ?
 
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Likes gracy
BvU said:
So, just for the sake of other readers ( :wink: ), where are we now ?
I went to bed, but today we're at this point:

vf2 = vi2 + 2 * a * d
vf = sqrt(0 + 2 * 1.25 m/s2 * 200 m) = 22.361 m/s

The height of the triangle is, sin(35°)*200m = 114,7m = a

-114.7m = (22.361 m/s * sin(35°))*t+(-½*9.8 m/s2 * t2)
0 = -½*9.8m/s2*t2+sin(35°)*22.361m/s*t+114.7m
Δt = (-sin(35°)*22.361m/s ±sqrt((sin(35°)*22.361m/s)-4*(-1/2*9.8)*114,7m)) / -9.8 m/s2
Δt =+√ = -5,73s , Δt = -√ = 3.776s

v0y = v0 sinθ
vy = voy - gt1 = 0
t1 = v0y/g
h = v0yt1 - ½gt12

v0y = sin(35°)*22,361 m/s = 12,83 m/s
vy = 12,83 m/s - 9.8m/s2*t1 = 0
t1 = voy/g = 12.83 m/s/9.8m/s2 = 1.3s
h = v0yt1 - ½gt12 = 12,83m/s*1.3s-½*9.8m/s2*1.322 = 8,398m
114,7m + 8.398m = 123,098m
This doesn't make sense to me, 8 meters height from a rocket, I know there are different rockets I just expected more. (its a huge ramp for 8 meters of height)

vox = 22.361 m/s * cos(35°) = 18,3 m/s
y = 0 = voy * t2 - ½ * 9.8 m/s2 *t2 = t2(voy - ½ * g * t2)
t2 = (2*voy)/9.8 m/s2 = 2,62s
R = vox*t2 = 18,3 m/s * 2,62s = 47,96m
but that length is still 114,7m above the ground.

x = (v0*cos(-35°)*t = 22,361 m/s * cos(-35°)*3,776s = 67,17m
47,96m + 67,17m = 117,125m

Ok I am pretty confused at this point and pretty sure I made a lot of mistakes, unfortunately.
 
Oh boy, what a long post. And then I have to ask where the first line comes from (I don't see it in the relevant equations, that's why I ask :wink: not the I went to bed, but the vf2 line of course)
 
  • #10
Good. I've had some coffee since. Big four sounds impressive and is right here. Let me continue... a bit slower :smile:

Note that the d in the first one of these big four first is distance covered (*) so for your h that meant height counting from leaving the ramp...
[edit] more coffee ⇒ yeah, 8 m counting from the top of the ramp. It's not a fast rocket, I admit...
more like a radio-controlled toy car.
All because 1.25 m/s2 isn't all that much.​
(*) see ##
x = x_0 + v_0 t + (1/2) a t^2\ ## here in our own big toolkit.
 
Last edited:
  • #11
BvU said:
Good. I've had some coffee since. Big four sounds impressive and is right here. Let me continue... a bit slower :smile:

Note that the d in the first one of these big four first is distance covered (*) so for your h that meant height counting from leaving the ramp...
[edit] more coffee ⇒ yeah, 8 m counting from the top of the ramp. It's not a fast rocket, I admit...
more like a radio-controlled toy car.
All because 1.25 m/s2 isn't all that much.​
(*) see ##
x = x_0 + v_0 t + (1/2) a t^2\ ## here in our own big toolkit.
that is so sad with the d :(
 
  • #12
BvU said:
Good. I've had some coffee since. Big four sounds impressive and is right here. Let me continue... a bit slower :smile:

Note that the d in the first one of these big four first is distance covered (*) so for your h that meant height counting from leaving the ramp...
[edit] more coffee ⇒ yeah, 8 m counting from the top of the ramp. It's not a fast rocket, I admit...
more like a radio-controlled toy car.
All because 1.25 m/s2 isn't all that much.​
(*) see ##
x = x_0 + v_0 t + (1/2) a t^2\ ## here in our own big toolkit.
also I am a bit confused with this equation how would I find the initial velocity at the end/top of the ramp.
all I know is x = 200 + 0 + 1/2 * 1.25 * t^2, I don't know either x or t
 
  • #13
At the end of the ramp you already found v = 22.36 m/s (vx = 18.32 m/s, vy = 12.82 m/s). From there you also found a flight time of 3.77 sec (I found 3.704, actually (using g = 9.8 m/s2) -- perhaps you can check; the other one was -6.32 s) ).

From that point the horizontal motion is uniform, so distance covered is just ##v_{0,x} \, t##, your 67.2 m (my result was 67.8).

I think you did well, but made it more complicated than necessary...
 
  • #14
BvU said:
At the end of the ramp you already found v = 22.36 m/s (vx = 18.32 m/s, vy = 12.82 m/s). From there you also found a flight time of 3.77 sec (I found 3.704, actually (using g = 9.8 m/s2) -- perhaps you can check; the other one was -6.32 s) ).

From that point the horizontal motion is uniform, so distance covered is just ##v_{0,x} \, t##, your 67.2 m (my result was 67.8).

I think you did well, but made it more complicated than necessary...
I used v = 22,361 m/s vx = 18,3 m/s vy = 18,3 m/s flight time = 3,776s using g = 9,8 m/s2 the negative time had a larger difference compared to yours, I have -5,73s
 
  • #15
I think I made a mistake during the flight time calculation

(-sin(35)*22.361-sqrt((sin(35)*22.361)-4(-1/2*9.8)*114.7))/-9.8 = 6.16s
(-sin(35)*22.361+sqrt((sin(35)*22.361)-4(-1/2*9.8)*114.7))/-9.8 = -3,54s

This is using a calculator I know how works, the other numbers was from Maple which i think always calculate in radians unless you do the 1/180*pi conversion
 
  • #16
Excel (I didn't do any rounding - except g = 9.8) says
(PF won't use courier for code ? )

Code:
10 h0 114.7153 =200*SIN(35/180*PI())
11
12
13 v0^2 500 =2*1.25^1*200
14
15 v0 22.36068 =SQRT(D13)
16
17 v0x 18.3168 =D15*COS(35/180*PI())
18 v0y 12.82556 =D15*SIN(35/180*PI())
19
20 t gnd 3.70366 =(0-D18+SQRT(D18^2+4*D10*9.8/2))/9.8
21
22 v0x * t gnd 67.83919 =D20*D17
 
  • #17
BvU said:
Excel (I didn't do any rounding - except g = 9.8) says
(PF won't use courier for code ? )

Code:
10 h0 114.7153 =200*SIN(35/180*PI())
11
12
13 v0^2 500 =2*1.25^1*200
14
15 v0 22.36068 =SQRT(D13)
16
17 v0x 18.3168 =D15*COS(35/180*PI())
18 v0y 12.82556 =D15*SIN(35/180*PI())
19
20 t gnd 3.70366 =(0-D18+SQRT(D18^2+4*D10*9.8/2))/9.8
21
22 v0x * t gnd 67.83919 =D20*D17

Yep I forgot to square b under the root.

so my delta t's er now -3,7s and 6,32s

Btw don't you have to divide by negative g and not positive?
 
  • #18
Btw don't you have to divide by negative g and not positive?
o:) Oops. Brilliant ! Sounds very reasonable to me :smile: and gets the projectile a little further as well. Perhaps we should top it off with a drawing showing the trajectory (y versus x) !

[edit] Must have more coffee (again): at the launch from the top of the ramp back in time the parabola should be shorter than forward, so physical intuition should have kicked in and objected right away !
 
  • #19
BvU said:
o:) Oops. Brilliant ! Sounds very reasonable to me :smile: and gets the projectile a little further as well. Perhaps we should top it off with a drawing showing the trajectory (y versus x) !

[edit] Must have more coffee (again): at the launch from the top of the ramp back in time the parabola should be shorter than forward, so physical intuition should have kicked in and objected right away !

As you can see from my earlier paint drawing, drawing is not a set of skills I was blessed with.

And I guess the questions are done if I just fix the b^2 and correct the calculations using the time.
 
  • #20
vf2 = vi2 + 2 * a * d
vf = sqrt(0 + 2 * 1.25 m/s2 * 200 m) = 22.361 m/s

The height of the triangle is, sin(35°)*200m = 114,7m = a

-114.7m = (22.361 m/s * sin(35°))*t+(-½*9.8 m/s2 * t2)
0 = -½*9.8m/s2*t2+sin(35°)*22.361m/s*t+114.7m
Δt = (-sin(35°)*22.361m/s ±sqrt((sin(35°)*22.361m/s)2-4*(-1/2*9.8)*114,7m)) / -9.8 m/s2
Δt =+√ = -3,7s , Δt = -√ = 6,32s

v0y = v0 sinθ
vy = voy - gt1 = 0
t1 = v0y/g
h = v0yt1 - ½gt12

voy = sin(35°)*22,361 m/s = 12,83 m/s
vy = 12,83 m/s - 9.8m/s2*t1 = 0
t1 = voy/g = 12.83 m/s/9.8m/s2 = 1.3s
h = v0yt1 - ½gt12 = 12,83m/s*1.3s-½*9.8m/s2*1.322 = 8,398m
114,7m + 8.398m = 123,098m
This doesn't make sense to me, 8 meters height from a rocket, I know there are different rockets I just expected more. (its a huge ramp for 8 meters of height)

vox = 22.361 m/s * cos(35°) = 18,3 m/s
y = 0 = voy * t2 - ½ * 9.8 m/s2 *t2 = t2(voy - ½ * g * t2)
t2 = (2*voy)/9.8 m/s2 = 2,62s
R = vox*t2 = 18,3 m/s * 2,62s = 47,96m
but that length is still 114,7m above the ground.

x = (v0*cos(-35°)*t = 22,361 m/s * cos(-35°)*6,32s = 115,76m
47,96m + 115,76m = 163,7m

Something tells me this last part from x = ... is incorrect.
Is 22,361 m/s * cos(-35°)*6,32s the range of the rocket from the top of the ramp and to the ground 114,7m below?
 
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