Slingshot Physics: Calculating Projectile Speed from a Building's Height

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a physics problem involving projectile motion, specifically calculating the speed of a pebble fired from a slingshot at the top of a building. The building's height is given, and the initial speed of the pebble is specified for different launch angles: horizontally, vertically up, and vertically down.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the need to determine the y-component of initial velocities for each scenario. There is a suggestion to utilize equations of motion to analyze the problem further.

Discussion Status

The conversation is ongoing, with some participants offering guidance on starting points and equations to consider. There is a light-hearted tone, but the focus remains on exploring the physics concepts involved.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the assumption of ignoring air resistance, and there may be a need to clarify the initial conditions for each launch scenario.

Mctwist
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This one has me stuck, any help would be greately appreciated, cheers, mac


A slingshot fires a pebble from the top of a building at a speed of 14.0m/s. The building is 31.0m tall. Ignoring air resistance, find the speed with which the pebble strikes the ground when the pebble is fired (a) horizontally, (b) vertically straight up, (c) vertically straight down.
 
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You'll need the y-component of your initial velocities. What are they for each of those 3 scenerios?

Start with that and see how far you get.
 
haha do ur physics homework urself, or dr bao will get u :@:@ haha only kiddin mate, u worked out any of the answers yet,
thanks dilo
 
Start with the good old-fashioned equations of motion in the x- and y-directions:

[tex]x=x_0+v_xt[/tex]

[tex]y=y_0+v_yt-\frac{1}{2}gt^2[/tex]

[tex]v_y=v_{y0}-gt[/tex]
 

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