What Angle Should a Football Kicker Use for Maximum Hang Time on a 65 Yard Kick?

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SUMMARY

The optimal angle for a football kicker to achieve maximum hang time on a 65-yard kick, given a velocity of 27 yards/sec, is derived from projectile motion equations. The calculations involve determining the vertical and horizontal components of the kick, leading to the equations Vo*Cosθ*T = 65 and Vo*Sinθ/g = T/2. The final angle θ is found to be approximately 30.46 degrees, with an alternative angle of 149.54 degrees also providing a solution, which could yield longer hang time.

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  • #31
LowlyPion said:
No. It's 65 yards. It has to cross the 50 to get to the other 1 yard line.

Besides if the problem says it's 65 yards that's how I would roll.

yah sorry I editted, it's 65 yards =P
 
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  • #32
ok I am trying to figure how this happened at the moment



from :

65/Vo*Cosθ = T = 2*Vo*Sinθ/g


to :

65 = 2*Vo2*Sinθ*Cosθ/g = Vo2*Sin2θ/g
 
  • #33
I can't seem to get to where you are at X_X sorrryyy
 
  • #34
twenty5 said:
65/Vo*Cosθ = T = 2*Vo*Sinθ/g

Multiply both sides by Vo*Cosθ
 
  • #35
LowlyPion said:
Multiply both sides by Vo*Cosθ

both sides including t? or just the very right side?
 
  • #36
ok when i multiply both sides by Vo*Cosθ, I got...
65= T = 2(Vo*sinθ)(27cosθ)/g
 
  • #37
ok i got the
65 = 2*Vo*Sinθ*Cosθ
but how did you get the...

65 = 2*Vo*Sinθ*Cosθ = Vo*Sin2θ/g
 
  • #38
ohh ok I got here now!

65 = 2*Vo2*Sinθ*Cosθ/g = Vo2*Sin2θ/g

since
Vo2*Sin2θ/g = 65, how would I isolate the θ?
 
Last edited:
  • #39
ok what I did now is,
65 = 272sin2θ / g
(65*(-9.8)) / 272 = sin2θ

how do I isolate the θ now?
it's the final question then I think that would be the answer afterwards =P
 
  • #40
hmm...I got -30.46o which means the person is shooting the ball into the ground and the ball is going at super high speeds which makes it eat the dirt and make a parabolic tunnel in the ground to the other side? loool wth?
 
  • #41
twenty5 said:
hmm...I got -30.46o which means the person is shooting the ball into the ground and the ball is going at super high speeds which makes it eat the dirt and make a parabolic tunnel in the ground to the other side? loool wth?

You got the right angle if you are supposed to treat g as 9.8 yds/s2.

But the wrong sign.

Except you need to recognize that there is another angle for which there is a solution. Consider that Sin(θ) = Sin(180-θ)

What is 1/2 of that angle?

And won't that angle be greater with respect to the horizon ... meaning longer time of flight?
 
  • #42
LowlyPion said:
You got the right angle.

But the wrong sign.

Except you need to recognize that there is another angle for which there is a solution. Consider that Sin(θ) = Sin(180-θ)

What is 1/2 of that angle?

And won't that angle be greater with respect to the horizon ... meaning longer time of flight?

sin(θ) = sin(180 - 30.46)?

or do you mean, that θ is in the top left quadrant O_O... anyhow... sin(149.54) and divide that angle by 2 would give me.. 74o or so O_O so which one would be correct?
 
  • #43
twenty5 said:
sin(θ) = sin(180 - 30.46)?

or do you mean, that θ is in the top left quadrant O_O... anyhow... sin(149.54) and divide that angle by 2 would give me.. 74o or so O_O so which one would be correct?

No.

What was the 2θ angle you found?

180 - 2θ = 90 - θ.
 
  • #44
LowlyPion said:
No.

What was the 2θ angle you found?

180 - 2θ = 90 - θ.

I found that θ = -30.46o

from...

-0.874 = sin2θ

sin-1 (-0.874) = 2θ
 

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