| Step | Derivation/Formula | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \( y = y_0 + v_i t + \frac{1}{2} a t^2 \) | Use the kinematic equation for displacement. |
| 2 | Set \( y = 0 \), \( y_0 = 19.6 \) m, \( a = -9.8 \) m/s². | Define the variables. |
| 3 | For Ball A (downward): \( v_i = -14.7 \) m/s | Initial velocity downward is negative. |
| 4 | \( 0 = 19.6 -14.7 t – 4.9 t^2 \) | Substitute values into the equation. |
| 5 | \( 4.9 t^2 +14.7 t -19.6 = 0 \) | Rearrange into standard quadratic form. |
| 6 | Solve for \( t \): \( t = 1 \) s | Find the positive root of the quadratic equation. |
| 7 | For Ball B (upward): \( v_i = +14.7 \) m/s | Initial velocity upward is positive. |
| 8 | \( 0 = 19.6 +14.7 t – 4.9 t^2 \) | Substitute values into the equation. |
| 9 | \( -4.9 t^2 +14.7 t +19.6 = 0 \) | Simplify equation. |
| 10 | \( 4.9 t^2 -14.7 t -19.6 = 0 \) | Multiply both sides by -1. |
| 11 | Solve for \( t \): \( t = 4 \) s | Find the positive root of the quadratic equation. |
| 12 | \( \Delta t = t_{\text{Ball B}} – t_{\text{Ball A}} = 4 \, \text{s} – 1 \, \text{s} = 3 \, \text{s} \) | Calculate the difference in time. |
Answer: The difference in time the balls spend in the air is 3 seconds.
| Step | Derivation/Formula | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \( v = v_i + a t \) | Use the kinematic equation for velocity. |
| 2 | For Ball A: \( v = -14.7 \, \text{m/s} + (-9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2)(1 \, \text{s}) = -24.5 \, \text{m/s} \) | Compute final velocity for Ball A. |
| 3 | For Ball B: \( v = +14.7 \, \text{m/s} + (-9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2)(4 \, \text{s}) = -24.5 \, \text{m/s} \) | Compute final velocity for Ball B. |
Answer: Each ball strikes the ground with a velocity of -24.5 m/s downward.
| Step | Derivation/Formula | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \( y = y_0 + v_i t + \frac{1}{2} a t^2 \) | Use the kinematic equation for position. |
| 2 | For Ball A: \( y_{\text{A}} = 19.6 + (-14.7)(0.8) + \frac{1}{2}(-9.8)(0.8)^2 \) | Compute position of Ball A at \( t = 0.8 \) s. |
| 3 | \( y_{\text{A}} = 19.6 -11.76 -3.136 = 4.704 \, \text{m} \) | Simplify to find \( y_{\text{A}} \). |
| 4 | For Ball B: \( y_{\text{B}} = 19.6 + (+14.7)(0.8) + \frac{1}{2}(-9.8)(0.8)^2 \) | Compute position of Ball B at \( t = 0.8 \) s. |
| 5 | \( y_{\text{B}} = 19.6 +11.76 -3.136 = 28.224 \, \text{m} \) | Simplify to find \( y_{\text{B}} \). |
| 6 | \( \Delta y = y_{\text{B}} – y_{\text{A}} = 28.224 – 4.704 = 23.52 \, \text{m} \) | Calculate the distance between the balls. |
Answer: The balls are 23.52 meters apart 0.800 seconds after they are thrown.
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A car is traveling 20 m/s when the driver sees a child standing on the road. She takes 0.8 s to react then steps on the brakes and slows at 7.0 m/s2. How far does the car go before it stops?

The graph in the figure shows the position of a particle as it travels along the x-axis. At what value of \(t\) is the speed of the particle equal to \(0 \, \text{m/s}\)?
note that the slope of position vs time is velocity. And the graph most closely reemsbles a flat or 0 slope at 3 seconds
A car travels east at a steady \( 30 \) \( \text{m/s} \) for \( 5 \) \( \text{s} \). What is its acceleration during this motion?
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 total distance will be covered after the 3rd second?
A ball is thrown straight up. What are the velocity and acceleration of the ball at the highest point in its path?
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?
Wile E. Coyote is (still) chasing after his arch-nemesis, the Roadrunner across a cliff that is \(125 \, \text{m}\) high. The Coyote is running in the horizontal direction towards the edge of a cliff when, at the last second, the Roadrunner steps out of the way and the witless coyote falls to the canyon floor.
A car travels \( 60 \) \( \text{km} \) at \( 30 \) \( \text{km/h} \), then \( 60 \) \( \text{km} \) at \( 60 \) \( \text{km/h} \). What is its average speed over the entire trip?
Priscilla the Penguin stands at the edge of a rock ledge and tosses a small ice cube directly upward with an initial velocity of \( v_0 \). The ice cube’s initial height above the ground is \( 3.25 \, \text{m} \), and it reaches its maximum height above the ground \( 0.586 \, \text{s} \) after being thrown. The ice cube then plummets to the ground, missing the edge of the rock ledge on its way down.
A ball is tossed directly upward. Its total time in the air is \( T \). Its maximum height is \( H \). What is its height after it has been in the air a time \( T/4 \)? Air resistance is negligible.
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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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