How Do I Calculate the Height of a Fence in Projectile Motion?

In summary, the problem involves a golf ball being hit at ground level and reaching its maximum height after 8.3 seconds, and barely clearing a fence located 482 feet away from where it was hit. The task is to determine the height of the fence in feet. The given information about the horizontal speed of the ball is not relevant for solving this problem. To find the height of the fence, one needs to calculate the distance the ball falls in 1.2 seconds with an initial vertical velocity of 0 and subtract that distance from the maximum height.
  • #1
physics=headache
ok i am so lost as to how to start this problem. the problem goes like this :
assume g = 32ft/s^2
A golf ball is hit at ground level. the ball is observed to reach its maximum height above ground level 8.3 s after being hit. 1.2 s after reaching this maximum height, the ball is observed to barely clear a fence that is 482 ft from where it was hit. How high is the fence? answer in units of ft.

i think the problem I'm having with this problem is figuring out the height of the fence, i know how to figure out the max height, but where do i go from that. i know all the formulas for kinematics in 2 dimensions. i would appreciate any help u can give me.

thanks
 
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  • #2
482 feet is there just to confuse you (or to give you some information about the horizontal speed of the ball, in case there are more parts to the problem).

As far as the height of the fence is concerned, if you have figured out the maximum height of the ball, just figure out how far the ball falls in 1.2 seconds with initial velocity of 0 (vertical) and subtract that distance from the max. height.
 
  • #3
thanks for the help

thanks that helped alot
 

What is projectile motion?

Projectile motion is the motion of an object through the air that is subject only to the acceleration of gravity.

How do you calculate the trajectory of a projectile?

The trajectory of a projectile can be calculated using the equations of motion, which take into account the initial velocity, angle of projection, and acceleration due to gravity.

What factors affect the trajectory of a projectile?

The trajectory of a projectile is affected by its initial velocity, angle of projection, and the acceleration due to gravity. Other factors that may affect the trajectory include air resistance, wind, and the shape of the object.

What is the difference between horizontal and vertical projectile motion?

Horizontal projectile motion refers to the motion of an object that is only moving in the horizontal direction, while vertical projectile motion refers to the motion of an object that is only moving in the vertical direction. In both cases, the object is subject to the acceleration of gravity, but horizontal motion does not experience any change in velocity in the vertical direction.

How is projectile motion used in real life?

Projectile motion is used in many real-life applications, such as in sports like basketball and football, where players must calculate the trajectory of the ball to make successful shots or passes. It is also used in engineering and physics to understand the motion of objects and design structures like bridges and buildings.

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