Simple Laws of motion question

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around calculating the launch speed and peak height of a 550-gram object launched vertically for approximately 4.5 seconds. The user initially estimated the peak height to be around 36.79 meters and the launch speed at 49.5 miles per hour based on their understanding of gravitational acceleration. However, a more experienced participant corrected these calculations, stating that the initial velocity should be around 22 m/s (11.4 mph) and the maximum height approximately 24.8 meters. The importance of using correct formulas for motion under gravity was emphasized, highlighting the need for clarity in physics concepts. Accurate calculations are crucial for reliable results in physics experiments.
faamfwvame
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
A friend and I were conducting a science experiment, where an object weighing roughly 550 grams was launched vertically, and after examining the video footage, was airborne for aproximatly 4.5 secconds. Having never studied physics before, I was curious if you could calculate the launch speed and or peak height from this information.

Any help would be highly appreciated.
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
Assuming negligible air resistence, which is approximatelytrue if the object is a ball made of a dense material, the velocity of a body moving against gravity is v = v_0 - gt
At the top of the trajectory the velocity is 0 and the time is half the total time.
 
I don't really understand that sorry, but according to Wikipedia, a stationary object's speed increases by 9.81 metres per second as it falls. and since my object was falling for 4.5/2, 2.25 secconds, I figured the peak hieght would be 9.81 + (9.81x2) + (9.81x3)/4 which equals 36.7875 metres, which, having seen the object, sounds about right. And 9.81 being approximatly 22 miles per hour, I guessed the speed it was traveling when it hit the ground and indeed the speed it was launched at would be 22 x 2.25 which is 49.5 miles per hour.
However, having no expirience with physics, I am hesitant to trust these results. Could anyone confirm or correct this?
Thank you for your input.
 
faamfwvame said:
I don't really understand that sorry, but according to Wikipedia, a stationary object's speed increases by 9.81 metres per second as it falls. and since my object was falling for 4.5/2, 2.25 secconds, I figured the peak hieght would be 9.81 + (9.81x2) + (9.81x3)/4 which equals 36.7875 metres, which, having seen the object, sounds about right. And 9.81 being approximatly 22 miles per hour, I guessed the speed it was traveling when it hit the ground and indeed the speed it was launched at would be 22 x 2.25 which is 49.5 miles per hour.
However, having no expirience with physics, I am hesitant to trust these results. Could anyone confirm or correct this?
Thank you for your input.
I don't understand the calculations you made. The initial and final velocities are equal in absolute values.
v_0 = 9.81*2.25 = 22m/s = 11.4 mph
The maximum heogth will be
h = v_0*t - \frac{1}{2]g*t^2 = 24.8m
 
I multiplied the values first without the error limit. Got 19.38. rounded it off to 2 significant figures since the given data has 2 significant figures. So = 19. For error I used the above formula. It comes out about 1.48. Now my question is. Should I write the answer as 19±1.5 (rounding 1.48 to 2 significant figures) OR should I write it as 19±1. So in short, should the error have same number of significant figures as the mean value or should it have the same number of decimal places as...
Thread 'A cylinder connected to a hanging mass'
Let's declare that for the cylinder, mass = M = 10 kg Radius = R = 4 m For the wall and the floor, Friction coeff = ##\mu## = 0.5 For the hanging mass, mass = m = 11 kg First, we divide the force according to their respective plane (x and y thing, correct me if I'm wrong) and according to which, cylinder or the hanging mass, they're working on. Force on the hanging mass $$mg - T = ma$$ Force(Cylinder) on y $$N_f + f_w - Mg = 0$$ Force(Cylinder) on x $$T + f_f - N_w = Ma$$ There's also...
Back
Top