| Derivation or Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|
| \[y_1 = v_i t_1 – \frac{1}{2} g t_1^2\] | The first ball is in the air for \(t_1 = 1.5\,\text{s}\) before the collision; use the constant-acceleration displacement formula. |
| \[y_2 = v_i t_2 – \frac{1}{2} g t_2^2\] | The second ball is in the air for only \(t_2 = 0.5\,\text{s}\) (it is thrown \(1\,\text{s}\) after the first), so the same kinematic relation applies. |
| \[1.5v_i – 0.5g(1.5)^2 = 0.5v_i – 0.5g(0.5)^2\] | Substitute \(t_1\) and \(t_2\) into the previous equations and set \(y_1 = y_2\) because the balls occupy the same height at collision. |
| \[v_i = g\] | Rearrange and solve the linear equation for the common launch speed \(v_i\). |
| \[\boxed{v_i = 9.8\,\text{m/s}}\] | Insert \(g = 9.8\,\text{m/s}^2\) to obtain the numerical value of the launch velocity. |
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Divers in Acapulco jump from a cliff that is \( 36 \, \text{m} \) above the water with an initial vertical velocity of \( 2 \, \text{m/s} \).
A rubber ball bounces on the ground. After each bounce, the ball reaches one-half the height of the bounce before it. If the time the ball was in the air between the first and second bounce was 1 second. What would be the time between the second and third bounce?
A body starting from rest moves along a straight line under the action of a constant force. After traveling a distance \( d \) the speed of the body is \( v \). The speed of the body when it has travelled a distance \( \dfrac{d}{2} \) from its initial position is
A car increases its forward velocity uniformly from \(40 ~ \text{m/s}\) to \(80 ~ \text{m/s}\) while traveling a distance of \(200 ~ \text{m}\). What is its acceleration during this time?
Will Clark throws a baseball with a horizontal component of velocity of \(25 \, \text{m/s}\). It takes \(3 \, \text{s}\) to come back to its original height. Calculate the baseball’s:
A student is running at her top speed of \( 5.0 \, \text{m/s} \) to catch a bus, which is stopped at the bus stop. When the student is still \( 40.0 \, \text{m} \) from the bus, it starts to pull away, moving with a constant acceleration of \( 0.170 \, \text{m/s}^2 \).
An object is projected vertically upward from ground level. It rises to a maximum height \( H \). If air resistance is negligible, which of the following must be true for the object when it is at a height \( H/2 \) ?
A teacher walks the following path in \( 10 \) \( \text{s} \): \( 2 \) \( \text{m} \) south, \( 4 \) \( \text{m} \) east, \( 2 \) \( \text{m} \) north, \( 4 \) \( \text{m} \) west. What is the teacher’s average velocity?
An object undergoes constant acceleration. Starting from rest, the object travels \( 5 \, \text{m} \) in the first second. Then it travels \( 15 \, \text{m} \) in the next second. What additional distance will be covered in the third second?
Which of the following graphs shows runners moving at the same speed? Assume the \(y\)-axis is measured in meters and the \(x\)-axis is measured in seconds.
\(9.8\,\text{m/s}\)
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| Kinematics | Forces |
|---|---|
| \(\Delta x = v_i t + \frac{1}{2} at^2\) | \(F = ma\) |
| \(v = v_i + at\) | \(F_g = \frac{G m_1 m_2}{r^2}\) |
| \(v^2 = v_i^2 + 2a \Delta x\) | \(f = \mu N\) |
| \(\Delta x = \frac{v_i + v}{2} t\) | \(F_s =-kx\) |
| \(v^2 = v_f^2 \,-\, 2a \Delta x\) |
| Circular Motion | Energy |
|---|---|
| \(F_c = \frac{mv^2}{r}\) | \(KE = \frac{1}{2} mv^2\) |
| \(a_c = \frac{v^2}{r}\) | \(PE = mgh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{r}{g}}\) | \(KE_i + PE_i = KE_f + PE_f\) |
| \(W = Fd \cos\theta\) |
| Momentum | Torque and Rotations |
|---|---|
| \(p = mv\) | \(\tau = r \cdot F \cdot \sin(\theta)\) |
| \(J = \Delta p\) | \(I = \sum mr^2\) |
| \(p_i = p_f\) | \(L = I \cdot \omega\) |
| Simple Harmonic Motion | Fluids |
|---|---|
| \(F = -kx\) | \(P = \frac{F}{A}\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}\) | \(P_{\text{total}} = P_{\text{atm}} + \rho gh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}\) | \(Q = Av\) |
| \(x(t) = A \cos(\omega t + \phi)\) | \(F_b = \rho V g\) |
| \(a = -\omega^2 x\) | \(A_1v_1 = A_2v_2\) |
| Constant | Description |
|---|---|
| [katex]g[/katex] | Acceleration due to gravity, typically [katex]9.8 , \text{m/s}^2[/katex] on Earth’s surface |
| [katex]G[/katex] | Universal Gravitational Constant, [katex]6.674 \times 10^{-11} , \text{N} \cdot \text{m}^2/\text{kg}^2[/katex] |
| [katex]\mu_k[/katex] and [katex]\mu_s[/katex] | Coefficients of kinetic ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) and static ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) friction, dimensionless. Static friction ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) is usually greater than kinetic friction ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) as it resists the start of motion. |
| [katex]k[/katex] | Spring constant, in [katex]\text{N/m}[/katex] |
| [katex] M_E = 5.972 \times 10^{24} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Earth |
| [katex] M_M = 7.348 \times 10^{22} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Moon |
| [katex] M_M = 1.989 \times 10^{30} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Sun |
| Variable | SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]s[/katex] (Displacement) | [katex]\text{meters (m)}[/katex] |
| [katex]v[/katex] (Velocity) | [katex]\text{meters per second (m/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]a[/katex] (Acceleration) | [katex]\text{meters per second squared (m/s}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]t[/katex] (Time) | [katex]\text{seconds (s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]m[/katex] (Mass) | [katex]\text{kilograms (kg)}[/katex] |
| Variable | Derived SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]F[/katex] (Force) | [katex]\text{newtons (N)}[/katex] |
| [katex]E[/katex], [katex]PE[/katex], [katex]KE[/katex] (Energy, Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy) | [katex]\text{joules (J)}[/katex] |
| [katex]P[/katex] (Power) | [katex]\text{watts (W)}[/katex] |
| [katex]p[/katex] (Momentum) | [katex]\text{kilogram meters per second (kgm/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\omega[/katex] (Angular Velocity) | [katex]\text{radians per second (rad/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\tau[/katex] (Torque) | [katex]\text{newton meters (Nm)}[/katex] |
| [katex]I[/katex] (Moment of Inertia) | [katex]\text{kilogram meter squared (kgm}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]f[/katex] (Frequency) | [katex]\text{hertz (Hz)}[/katex] |
Metric Prefixes
Example of using unit analysis: Convert 5 kilometers to millimeters.
Start with the given measurement: [katex]\text{5 km}[/katex]
Use the conversion factors for kilometers to meters and meters to millimeters: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}}[/katex]
Perform the multiplication: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}} = 5 \times 10^3 \times 10^3 \, \text{mm}[/katex]
Simplify to get the final answer: [katex]\boxed{5 \times 10^6 \, \text{mm}}[/katex]
Prefix | Symbol | Power of Ten | Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
Pico- | p | [katex]10^{-12}[/katex] | 0.000000000001 |
Nano- | n | [katex]10^{-9}[/katex] | 0.000000001 |
Micro- | µ | [katex]10^{-6}[/katex] | 0.000001 |
Milli- | m | [katex]10^{-3}[/katex] | 0.001 |
Centi- | c | [katex]10^{-2}[/katex] | 0.01 |
Deci- | d | [katex]10^{-1}[/katex] | 0.1 |
(Base unit) | – | [katex]10^{0}[/katex] | 1 |
Deca- or Deka- | da | [katex]10^{1}[/katex] | 10 |
Hecto- | h | [katex]10^{2}[/katex] | 100 |
Kilo- | k | [katex]10^{3}[/katex] | 1,000 |
Mega- | M | [katex]10^{6}[/katex] | 1,000,000 |
Giga- | G | [katex]10^{9}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000 |
Tera- | T | [katex]10^{12}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000,000 |
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