What Velocity Clears a Shelf in Projectile Motion?

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a rock being kicked from a cliff with a stairstep configuration, requiring it to clear a shelf while accounting for vertical and horizontal displacements. The context is projectile motion, specifically focusing on the initial horizontal velocity needed to clear a drop of 6 meters and a horizontal distance of 10 meters.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the need to determine the initial vertical velocity and the relevant equations of motion for both horizontal and vertical components. There are inquiries about the trajectory required to clear the shelf and the specific calculations involved.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided guidance on showing work and writing appropriate equations, while others have noted previous encounters with similar questions. There is an acknowledgment of a solution being found by one participant, but the discussion remains open with various interpretations and approaches being explored.

Contextual Notes

Participants are reminded to show their work and consider the equations of motion, indicating a focus on understanding the problem rather than simply arriving at a solution. The mention of air friction being negligible is also a point of consideration.

luna02525
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Homework Statement



You are standing at the top of the cliff that has a stairstep configuration. There is a vertical drop of 6m at your feet, then a horizontal shelf of 10 m, then another drop of 4m to the bottom of the canyon, which has a horizontal floor. You kick a .93 kg rock, giving it an initial horizontal velocity that barely clears the shelf below. The acceleration of gravity is 9.8 m/s^2. Consider air friction to be negligible. What initial horizontal velocity v will be required to barely clear the edge of the self below you.

Edit: Solution found.
 
Last edited:
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We request students show some work and write the appropriate equations.

The problem reqires an object to clear a point 6 m below and 10 m horizontally displaced, and one has to determine the horizontal velocity to achieve the trajectory to accomplish this.

What is the initial vertical velocity? What are the equations of motion in the horizontal and vertical?

See - http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/traj.html#tra11 (horizontal launches)
 
I saw this exact question somewhere else, I believe on this forum. I just can't find it.
 
Astronuc said:
We request students show some work and write the appropriate equations.

The problem reqires an object to clear a point 6 m below and 10 m horizontally displaced, and one has to determine the horizontal velocity to achieve the trajectory to accomplish this.

What is the initial vertical velocity? What are the equations of motion in the horizontal and vertical?

See - http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/traj.html#tra11 (horizontal launches)

I actually determined a solution for this problem (see edit) but thank you! I did have equations shown and attempted work but incidentally, I erased it all when I found a solution. It took me a while to find it but I'm slowly beginning to understand.
 

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