| Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|
| \[\Delta y = \frac{1}{2} g t^{2}\] | The vertical drop of the cat is the table height, so \(\Delta y = 1.0\,\text{m}\). With zero initial vertical speed, uniform acceleration gives this relation. |
| \[t = \sqrt{\frac{2\Delta y}{g}}\] | Solve the previous equation for the fall time \(t\). |
| \[\Delta x = v_i t\] | Horizontally there is no acceleration, so the horizontal displacement \(\Delta x\) equals speed \(v_i\) times time. |
| \[v_i = \frac{\Delta x}{t}\] | Rearrange the horizontal motion equation to isolate the initial speed. |
| \[\boxed{v_i = \frac{2.2\,\text{m}}{\sqrt{2(1.0\,\text{m})/9.8\,\text{m/s}^2}} \;\approx\; 4.9\,\text{m/s}}\] | Insert \(\Delta x = 2.2\,\text{m}\), \(\Delta y = 1.0\,\text{m}\), and \(g = 9.8\,\text{m/s}^2\) to compute the numerical value. |
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In archery, should the arrow be aimed directly at the target? How should your angle of aim depend on the distance to the target? Explain without using equations.
Person A throws a ball horizontally from a cliff \( 20 \) \( \text{m} \) tall at \( 12 \) \( \text{m/s} \). Person B is running to the right on the ground and catches the ball at the same height it would’ve landed after running \( 15 \) \( \text{m} \). How fast was Person B running?
A circus cannon fires an acrobat into the air at an angle of \( 45^\circ \) above the horizontal, and the acrobat reaches a maximum height \( y \) above her original launch height. The cannon is now aimed so that it fires straight up, at an identical speed, into the air at an angle of \( 90^\circ \) to the horizontal. In terms of \( y \), what is the acrobat’s new maximum height?
3 clay balls, labeled A, B, and C are launched from the same height at the same speed as shown above. A is launched at \( 30^\circ \) above horizontal, B is launched horizontally, and C is launched \( 30^\circ \) below the horizontal. They all hit the wall (before reaching the ground) in times \( t_A \), \( t_B \), and \( t_C \) respectively. Rank these times from least to greatest.
A car accelerates from rest with an acceleration of \( 3.5 \, \text{m/s}^2 \) for \( 10 \, \text{s} \). After this, it continues at a constant speed for an unknown amount of time. The driver notices a ramp \( 50 \, \text{m} \) ahead and takes \( 0.6 \, \text{s} \) to react. After reacting, the driver hits the brakes, which slow the car with an acceleration of \( 7.2 \, \text{m/s}^2 \). Unfortunately, the driver does not stop in time and goes off the \( 3 \, \text{m} \) high ramp that is angled at \( 27^\circ \).
An airplane with a speed of \( 97.5 \, \text{m/s} \) is climbing upward at an angle of \( 50.0^\circ \) with respect to the horizontal. When the plane’s altitude is \( 732 \, \text{m} \), the pilot releases a package.
A baseball is thrown at an angle of 25° relative to the ground at a speed of 23.0 m/s. The ball is caught 42.0 m from the thrower.
A soccer ball is kicked horizontally off an \( 85 \) \( \text{m} \) high cliff at a speed of \( 34 \) \( \text{m/s} \). What is the ball’s final speed when it hits the ground below?
A gun can fire a bullet to height \( h \) when fired straight up. If the same gun is pointed at an angle of \( 45^\circ \) from the vertical, what is the new maximum height of the projectile?
A ball of mass \( 0.5 \, \text{kg} \), initially at rest, is kicked directly toward a fence from a point \( 32 \, \text{m} \) away, as shown above. The velocity of the ball as it leaves the kicker’s foot is \( 20 \, \text{m/s} \) at an angle of \( 37^\circ \) above the horizontal. The top of the fence is \( 2.5 \, \text{m} \) high. The ball hits nothing while in flight and air resistance is negligible.
\(4.9\,\text{m/s}\)
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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] | |
Nano- | n | [katex]10^{-9}[/katex] | |
Micro- | µ | [katex]10^{-6}[/katex] | |
Milli- | m | [katex]10^{-3}[/katex] | |
Centi- | c | [katex]10^{-2}[/katex] | |
Deci- | d | [katex]10^{-1}[/katex] | |
(Base unit) | – | [katex]10^{0}[/katex] | |
Deca- or Deka- | da | [katex]10^{1}[/katex] | |
Hecto- | h | [katex]10^{2}[/katex] | |
Kilo- | k | [katex]10^{3}[/katex] | |
Mega- | M | [katex]10^{6}[/katex] | |
Giga- | G | [katex]10^{9}[/katex] | |
Tera- | T | [katex]10^{12}[/katex] |
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