Starship + 2 different planets?

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves analyzing the motion of a ball rolling off a table in two different gravitational environments: Earth and an unexplored Planet X. The original poster presents a scenario where the distance the ball lands from the table differs between the two planets, prompting a question about calculating the acceleration due to gravity on Planet X.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the need to derive an expression for the range of the projectile based on its initial velocity and height. There are attempts to rearrange equations and substitute variables to find a solution.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring different methods to express the relationship between the range, height, and initial speed of the projectile. Some guidance has been offered regarding the formulation of equations, but no consensus has been reached on a specific approach.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the challenge of starting the problem due to the need for rearranging equations and the lack of clarity on how to eliminate time from the equations of motion.

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Starship + 2 different planets?

Homework Statement


The problem from my textbook is:
Inside a starship at rest on earth, a ball rolls off the top of a horizontal table and lands a distance D from the foot of the table. This starship now lands on the unexplored Planet X. The commander, Captain Curious, rolls the same ball off the same table with the same initial speed as on Earth and finds that it lands a distance 2.76D from the foot of the table. What is the acceleration due to gravity on Planet X?


Homework Equations


The 4 basic equations of motion:
V=Vi + a x delta t
S=Si + Vi x delta t + 1/2at^s
S=Si + 1/2(V+Vi)delta t
V^2= Vi^2 + 2a(S-Si)


The Attempt at a Solution


I know the initial velocity is the same in both cases, I figure you have to substitute the initial velocity in one with an equation with the acceleration on earth. I'm kind of lost from this point.
What I really need is some one to explain how to solve it.
 
Last edited:
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This is a projectile motion problem. You need to find an expression for the range of the projectile given that it has initial velocity v0 only in the horizontal direction and starts at height h above ground. Can you find such an expression?
 


I'd have to rearrange equations and substitute them into one another and I wouldn't know where to start.
 


Start by writing expressions for the horizontal position of the ball at any time t and for the position of the ball above ground at any time t. Eliminate the time and find an expression giving the dependence of the range on the vertical height and the initial speed.
 

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