Projectile Motion Problem: Tennis Ball Clearance Calculation

[m_scott]

Homework Statement

A tennis player standing 12.6m from the net hits the ball at 3 degrees above the horizontal. To clear the net, the ball must rise at least .330m. If the ball just clears the net at the apex of its trajectory, how fast was the ball moving when it left the racquet?

Homework Equations

I tried using v2=v02+2a(x-x0)

The Attempt at a Solution

I have no clue

 

[tiny-tim]

welcome to pf!

hi m_scott! welcome to pf!

(try using the X₂ icon just above the Reply box )

you need two equations, one for the x and one for the y direction …

then eliminate t …

what do you get? ​

 

[m_scott]

I still don't completely understand. What formulas am i supposed to use? And I am not sure what to do with the .330m

I set it up as: 0(final velocity)= v0²+2(-9.8)(12.6) and got 15.7 but i know that's wrong...

 

[Karlx]

Hi m_scott.
You must see the motion of the ball as a composition of two kinds of motion: one in the horinzontal axis and another in the vertical axis.
Which kind of motion on the x axis?
Which kind of motion on the y axis?
Try to write the equations of motion for each axis.
And from it, up to you...

 

[tiny-tim]

uhh? forget the final velocity …

nobody asked for it! ​

 

[m_scott]

what equation should i use to find motion for the x and y axis?

 

[Karlx]

What kind of motion do you think that has the ball on the y direction ?

 

[tiny-tim]

well, you're only given s and v_i and a (a = 0 for the x direction, = -g for the y direction), and you want to find t for both directions and then eliminate it …

so which of the standard constant acceleration equations do you think you should use?

 

[m_scott]

s=v₀t+(1/2)at²??

And if so, do i plug in -9.8 for a and 0 for v⁰?

i got 1.6s Is that for the x or y axis?

 

[tiny-tim]

s=v₀t+(1/2)at²??

yes

And if so, do i plug in … 0 for v⁰?

no, v₀ will be the initial component of velocity in the y direction

 

[m_scott]

Ok. How do I find the initial component of velocity in the y direction? Btw, sorry for all the newb questions. This is my 3rd day in physics and I am kinda lost...

 

[tiny-tim]

total velocity times sin3°

(and the initial x component is total velocity times cos3°)

haven't you done components? ​

 

[m_scott]

But the problem doesn't give me the total velocity

 

[tiny-tim]

that's right, it asks you for the total velocity …

so call that v, and solve ​