Free Fall: Questions & Solution

In summary: Distance from original height to 30 m left(-30m)2 = (-0m)2 + 2 (-9.81 m/s2) d-118.15 m = dtotal distance = -158.15 mI don't believe this is right.The left hand side should be -30m since the displacement is downward.
  • #1
katia11
18
0

Homework Statement



45. A freely falling object requires 1.50 s to travel the last 30.0 m before it hits the ground. From what height above the ground did it fall?

Homework Equations



x = xi + Vit + (1/2)at2
Vf2 = Vi2 + 2ad

The Attempt at a Solution



First found the initial velocity from 30.0 m left
30m = 0m + Vi (1.5 sec) + (1/2) (-9.81 m/s2) (1.5 sec)2
Vi= 27.36 m/s at 30 m away from ground

Distance from original height to 30 m left
(27.36 m/s)2 = (0 m/s)2 + 2 (-9.8a m/s2) d
-38.15 m = d

total distance = 68.15 m


I hope this is right! Thank you!
 
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  • #2
katia11 said:

Homework Statement



45. A freely falling object requires 1.50 s to travel the last 30.0 m before it hits the ground. From what height above the ground did it fall?

Homework Equations



x = xi + Vit + (1/2)at2
Vf2 = Vi2 + 2ad

The Attempt at a Solution



First found the initial velocity from 30.0 m left
30m = 0m + Vi (1.5 sec) + (1/2) (-9.81 m/s2) (1.5 sec)2
Vi= 27.36 m/s at 30 m away from ground

Distance from original height to 30 m left
(27.36 m/s)2 = (0 m/s)2 + 2 (-9.8a m/s2) d
-38.15 m = d

total distance = 68.15 m

I hope this is right! Thank you!

You have the wrong sign for the Vi in the highlighted equation, and the distances should be swapped, but you got the right result.

Otherwise, looks good to me anyway.
 
  • #3
Yes, I posted this because I was unsure about the signs of the two distances. That makes much more sense.

Thank you very much!
 
  • #4
katia11 said:

Homework Statement



45. A freely falling object requires 1.50 s to travel the last 30.0 m before it hits the ground. From what height above the ground did it fall?

Homework Equations



x = xi + Vit + (1/2)at2
Vf2 = Vi2 + 2ad

The Attempt at a Solution



First found the initial velocity from 30.0 m left
30m = 0m + Vi (1.5 sec) + (1/2) (-9.81 m/s2) (1.5 sec)2

I don't believe this is right.The left hand side should be -30m since the displacement is downward.
 

Related to Free Fall: Questions & Solution

1. What is free fall?

Free fall is a term used to describe the motion of an object falling solely under the influence of gravity. This means that the object is not being affected by any other forces, such as air resistance or friction.

2. What is the acceleration of an object in free fall?

The acceleration of an object in free fall is always equal to the acceleration due to gravity, which is approximately 9.8 meters per second squared (m/s²) on Earth. This means that the object's velocity will increase by 9.8 m/s every second it is in free fall.

3. How does mass affect free fall?

Mass does not affect the acceleration of an object in free fall, as long as the object is not affected by air resistance. This means that objects with different masses will fall at the same rate in a vacuum. However, in the presence of air resistance, objects with larger masses will experience a greater force and will fall at a slightly slower rate.

4. What is terminal velocity?

Terminal velocity is the maximum velocity that an object can reach when falling through a fluid, such as air or water. This occurs when the object's weight is equal to the force of air resistance acting against it. At this point, the object will no longer accelerate and will continue falling at a constant speed.

5. How is free fall related to projectile motion?

Free fall is a type of projectile motion, which is the motion of an object through the air that is subject to gravity and air resistance. The only difference is that in free fall, the object is moving in a straight line directly towards the ground, whereas in projectile motion, the object follows a curved path due to its initial velocity. However, both types of motion are affected by gravity and follow the same equations.

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