| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[v_x = v\cos\theta,\qquad v_{y_i} = v\sin\theta\] | Resolve the launch speed \(v=12\,\text{m/s}\) at angle \(\theta=35^\circ\) into horizontal and vertical components. |
| 2 | \[t = \frac{\Delta x}{v\cos\theta}\] | Horizontal motion is uniform, so time equals horizontal distance divided by constant horizontal speed. |
| 3 | \[\Delta y = y_{\text{hoop}} – y_{\text{release}} = 3.05 – 2.40 = 0.65\,\text{m}\] | The vertical displacement is the hoop height minus the release height. |
| 4 | \[\Delta y = v_{y_i}t – \tfrac{1}{2}gt^2\] | Vertical motion under constant acceleration due to gravity. |
| 5 | \[0.65 = (v\sin\theta)\Big(\tfrac{\Delta x}{v\cos\theta}\Big) – \tfrac{1}{2}g\Big(\tfrac{\Delta x}{v\cos\theta}\Big)^2\] | Substitute time from Step 2 and vertical velocity from Step 1 into the vertical displacement equation. |
| 6 | \[0.65 = \Delta x\tan\theta – \frac{g\,\Delta x^2}{2v^2\cos^2\theta}\] | Simplify the equation using \(\tan\theta = \frac{\sin\theta}{\cos\theta}\). |
| 7 | \[-\tfrac{g}{2v^2\cos^2\theta}\,\Delta x^2 + \tan\theta\,\Delta x – 0.65 = 0\] | Rearrange into standard quadratic form. |
| 8 | \[A = -\tfrac{g}{2v^2\cos^2\theta} \approx -0.0507\] | Coefficient of \(\Delta x^2\). |
| 9 | \[B = \tan\theta \approx 0.700\] | Coefficient of \(\Delta x\). |
| 10 | \[C = -0.65\] | Constant term from the vertical displacement difference. |
| 11 | \[\Delta = B^2 – 4AC \approx 0.358\] | Discriminant is positive, so there are two real intersection points with the hoop height. |
| 12 | \[\Delta x = \frac{-B \pm \sqrt{\Delta}}{2A}\] | Quadratic formula to solve for horizontal distance. |
| 13 | \[\Delta x_1 \approx 1.00\,\text{m},\quad \Delta x_2 \approx 12.8\,\text{m}\] | Two solutions: one on the upward path, one on the downward path. |
| 14 | \[\boxed{\Delta x \approx 12.8\,\text{m}}\] | The descending solution is the realistic shot distance from the player to the hoop. |
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A ball of mass \(m\) is released from rest at a distance \(h\) above a frictionless plane inclined at an angle of \(45^\circ\) to the horizontal as shown above. The ball bounces horizontally off the plane at point \(P_1\) with the same speed with which it struck the plane and strikes the plane again at point \(P_2\). In terms of \(g\) and \(h\), determine each of the following quantities:
Consider a ball thrown up from the surface of the earth into the air at an angle of \( 30^\circ \) above the horizontal. Air resistance is negligible. The ball’s acceleration just after release is most nearly
One ball is dropped vertically from a window. At the same instant, a second ball is thrown horizontally from the same window. Which ball has the greater speed at ground level?

Projectiles 1 and 2 are launched from level ground at the same time and follow the trajectories shown in the figure. Which one of the projectiles, if either, returns to the ground first, and why?
In the absence of air resistance, a projectile is launched from and returns to ground level and has a range of \( 23 \, \text{m} \). Suppose the launch speed is doubled, and the projectile is fired at the same angle above the ground. What is the new range?
A skier is accelerating down a \( 30.0^{\circ} \) hill at \( 3.80 \) \( \text{m/s}^2 \).
On a distant planet, golf is just as popular as it is on Earth. A golfer tees off and drives the ball \(3.5\) times as far as he would have on Earth, given the same initial velocities on both planets. The ball is launched at a speed of \(45 \, \text{m/s}\) at an angle of \(29^\circ\) above the horizontal. When the ball lands, it is at the same level as the tee. On the distant planet find:
A projectile is launched at an angle of \( 30^{\circ} \) and hits a vertical wall \( 40 \) \( \text{m} \) away. After bouncing back horizontally, it lands \( 15 \) \( \text{m} \) behind the launch point. How high up on the wall did the projectile strike?
A ball is thrown horizontally from the roof of a building \( 7.5 \) \( \text{m} \) tall and lands \( 9.5 \) \( \text{m} \) from the base. What was the ball’s initial speed?
During projectile motion (neglecting air resistance), what is the vertical acceleration at the highest point, assuming the initial velocity is upwards in the positive direction?
\(\Delta x \approx 12.8\,\text{m}\)
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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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