Projectile Motion- Object Launched in the Air

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a projectile motion problem involving a spring toy launched at a specific speed and angle. Participants are exploring the calculation of the maximum height reached by the toy.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to calculate the maximum height using kinematic equations and provides their reasoning and calculations. Some participants question the necessity of calculating the time of flight and suggest using a different formula that does not involve time.

Discussion Status

Participants are engaged in reviewing the original poster's calculations and discussing alternative approaches. There is acknowledgment of the original poster's method, but also suggestions for potentially more efficient methods. No explicit consensus has been reached regarding the correctness of the solution.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express concerns about the textbook's guidance, indicating that it may not be the most effective resource for the problem at hand.

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Homework Statement


A spring toy is launched from the ground at 2.3 m/s at an angle of 78° to the ground.
What is the maximum height reached by the spring toy?

Homework Equations


## \vec v_1v = \vec v_1 sin\Theta##

## \Delta \vec d = \vec v_1v \Delta t + \frac 1 2 \vec a \Delta t^2##

The Attempt at a Solution



## \vec v_1v = 2.3 m/s [up] (sin78 degrees)
\\ = 2.25 m/s [up]##

## \Delta \vec d = \vec v_v1 \Delta t + \frac 1 2 \vec a \Delta t^2
\\ 0 = (2.25 m/s [up]) \Delta t + \frac 1 2 (-9.8 m/s^2) \Delta t^2
\\ 0 = \Delta t (2.25 m/s - 4.9 m/s^2) \Delta t
\\ \Delta t = 0.46 seconds##

That's the total time it was airborne. Maximum height is half that so 0.46/2 = 0.23 s.

Now to find the height.

## \Delta \vec v = \vec v_1 \Delta t + \frac 1 2 \vec a \Delta t^2
\\ = (2.25 m/s) (0.23 s) + \frac 1 2 (-9.8 m/s^2) (0.23)^2
\\ = 0.52 - 0.26
\\= 0.26 m [up]##

The max height is 0.26 meters [up].

I've followed my textbook's lead of rounding to two significant places through the work.

Am I correct at all?
 
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Everything looks good to me. Personally, I keep the intermediate answers, in my calculator, to full digits, then round at the end.
 
Thank you. Yeah, overall, the textbook isn't the greatest, but I'm just following its lead for this course.
 
You were not asked for the time. You can get to the height directly by using the right SUVAT formula. Which one does not involve time?
 

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