What is the Takeoff Angle for a Long Jumper?

In summary, the long jumper has a horizontal velocity of 8 m/s and reaches a maximum height of 0.5 m during the flight phase of his jump. To find the angle of take off, you can use the trigonometric formula sinϑ=o/h, where o is the vertical component and h is the horizontal component. However, the vertical component is unknown, so more information is needed to accurately calculate the angle of take off.
  • #1
bionut
54
0
"A long jumper rises 0.5 meters during the flight phase of his jump. His forward velocity is 8 ms. What is the angle of take off?"

Okay, I did a skectch to work out basic trig, with 8m/s as my H and 0.5m as my 0
using sinϑ=o/h, =0.5/8 = 3
but it should be 21.6 ... do you know where I went wrong??
 
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  • #2
I see a couple of problems so far. The first is that I would interpret the 8 m/s as the horizontal component of the velocity. Therefore if you draw a right triangle consisting of the velocity vector and its two components, the 8 m/s is not the hypotenuse of the triangle, but rather the horizontal leg.

The second problem is that you don't know what the vertical component is. You have to be careful here -- the 0.5 m provided is a distance, not a velocity. It's a little ambiguous what the "flight phase" of the jump is, but if you assume 0.5 m to be the maximum height that he reached, then you have enough info to solve the problem.
 

Related to What is the Takeoff Angle for a Long Jumper?

1. What is the angle of a projectile?

The angle of a projectile is the direction at which it is launched or thrown. It is usually measured in degrees from the horizontal.

2. How does the angle of a projectile affect its trajectory?

The angle of a projectile is a crucial factor in determining its trajectory. A higher angle will result in a higher arc and longer flight time, while a lower angle will result in a flatter trajectory and shorter flight time.

3. What is the optimal angle for maximum distance for a projectile?

The optimal angle for maximum distance for a projectile is 45 degrees. This is known as the optimal launch angle and can be mathematically derived using projectile motion equations.

4. How does air resistance affect the angle of a projectile?

Air resistance, also known as drag, can affect the angle of a projectile by changing its trajectory. As the projectile moves through the air, it experiences an opposing force due to air resistance, causing it to follow a curved path and deviate from the original angle of launch.

5. What is the relationship between angle of a projectile and its velocity?

The angle of a projectile and its velocity are directly related. As the angle of launch increases, the initial velocity of the projectile also increases. However, as the angle of launch decreases, the initial velocity decreases. This is because the horizontal component of the velocity remains constant, while the vertical component changes with the angle.

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