Solve Soccer Ball Kick Homework Problem: 13.68m?

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In summary, your friend kicks a soccer ball at a total initial velocity of 18.0 m/s @ 60 degrees above the horizontal from ground level. If the soccer ball gets to the top of the house at the peak of its motion, how far away were you standing? The ball reaches your friend at the peak of its motion, so the distance you were standing was 13.79 m.
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liuquinlin
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Homework Statement


Your friend is standing on the roof of his house, which is 11.5 meters off the ground. You are standing some distance away from the house and you kick a soccer ball at a total initial velocity of 18.0 m/s @ 60 degrees above the horizontal from ground level. If the soccer ball gets to the top of the house at the peak of its motion, how far away were you standing?


Homework Equations


d=1/2g*t^2
d=vt

The Attempt at a Solution


I already posted this once and got my mistake explained to me, so I tried again. First I found the time by doing d=1/2g*t^2 and got the time to be apporximately 1.52 seconds. Then I found the horizontal component, which would be 9 since the resultant and components form a 30-60-90 triangle. I multiplied 9 * 1.52 to get 13.68 meters, but my book says that this is wrong. Could anyone explain what I'm doing wrong and what I should change?
 
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  • #2
Solving the problem your way, t is actually 1.53 s, not 1.52, which yields 13.79 m instead of 13.68. Is that the problem?

If it's not, the 11.5 m is actually redundant data, because the question also tells you the ball reaches your friend at the peak of its motion. You can calculate time from that easily enough: just divide the vertical component of the ball's speed by g. You get 1.79 s, which isn't consistent with the height given by the question. (It should be; the question is simply inconsistent.) If you use that to calculate distance, you get a different answer. Is this the problem?
 
  • #3
I tried the second way you described (Vertical Component/Gravity=Time) and got 1.56 (forgot to mention that we're supposed to use 10m/s^2 as gravity due to acceleration rather than 9.8) Multiplied by 9 that's 14.04, and the book says the answer is 14.0 so I believe that that's the answer. Thanks! I'll mention that the problem is inconsistent to my teacher. The problems were made by him so he might have messed up. Thanks again!
 
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1. How do you calculate the initial velocity of the soccer ball?

To calculate the initial velocity of the soccer ball, you need to use the equation v = √(2gh), where v is the initial velocity, g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s^2), and h is the height the ball is kicked (13.68m in this problem). Plugging in the values, we get v = √(2*9.8*13.68) = √268.512 = 16.4 m/s.

2. What is the angle at which the soccer ball should be kicked?

The optimal angle at which the soccer ball should be kicked for maximum distance is 45 degrees. This is because at this angle, the horizontal and vertical components of the initial velocity are equal, resulting in the longest possible range.

3. How do you factor air resistance into the calculation?

To factor in air resistance, you need to use the equation v = v0 + at, where v is the final velocity, v0 is the initial velocity, a is the acceleration due to air resistance, and t is the time. The value of a depends on the air density and cross-sectional area of the ball. It can be calculated using specialized software or estimated using a drag coefficient. Once you have the final velocity, you can use it to calculate the range of the ball.

4. How does the mass of the soccer ball affect its trajectory?

The mass of the soccer ball has a minimal effect on its trajectory as long as the ball is kicked with the same initial velocity. This is because the mass of the ball only affects its acceleration due to gravity, which is a constant. However, a heavier ball may have a slightly lower trajectory due to air resistance.

5. Can you use the same equation for calculating the range of a soccer ball kicked on different surfaces?

The equation v = √(2gh) can be used to calculate the range of a soccer ball kicked on different surfaces as long as the height h is measured from the initial position of the ball to the point where it hits the ground. However, the values of g and the drag coefficient may vary depending on the surface, so it is best to adjust the calculations accordingly for more accurate results.

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