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AP Physics

Unit 1 - Vectors and Kinematics

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Step Derivation/Formula Reasoning
Initial Information
0 – Airplane speed: \( v_p = 97.5 \, \text{m/s} \)
– Climb angle: \( \theta = 50.0^\circ \)
– Altitude at release: \( h = 732 \, \text{m} \)
– Acceleration due to gravity: \( g = 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 \)
Gathered all given data for the problem.
1 Resolve initial velocity into components:

– Horizontal component:
\( v_{0x} = v_p \cos \theta \)
\( v_{0x} = 97.5 \times \cos 50^\circ \approx 97.5 \times 0.6428 \approx 62.73 \, \text{m/s} \)

– Vertical component:
\( v_{0y} = v_p \sin \theta \)
\( v_{0y} = 97.5 \times \sin 50^\circ \approx 97.5 \times 0.7660 \approx 74.72 \, \text{m/s} \)

Calculated initial horizontal (\( v_{0x} \)) and vertical (\( v_{0y} \)) velocities of the package.
2 Set up the vertical motion equation to find time \( t \):

\( y = y_0 + v_{0y} t – \dfrac{1}{2} g t^2 \)
Since the package lands on the ground, \( y = 0 \) and \( y_0 = h \):
\( 0 = h + v_{0y} t – \dfrac{1}{2} g t^2 \)

Established the equation for vertical motion to solve for time.
3 Rearrange the equation into a quadratic form:

\( -\dfrac{1}{2} g t^2 + v_{0y} t + h = 0 \)
Multiply both sides by \(-1\):
\( \dfrac{1}{2} g t^2 – v_{0y} t – h = 0 \)
Write in standard quadratic form \( a t^2 + b t + c = 0 \):
\( a = \dfrac{1}{2} g = 4.9 \)
\( b = -v_{0y} = -74.72 \)
\( c = -h = -732 \)

Prepared the quadratic equation to solve for \( t \).
4 Calculate the discriminant \( D \):

\( D = b^2 – 4ac \)
\( D = (-74.72)^2 – 4(4.9)(-732) \)
\( D = 5582.78 + 14,361.6 = 19,944.38 \)

Computed the discriminant to use in the quadratic formula.
5 Solve for time \( t \) using the quadratic formula:

\( t = \dfrac{-b \pm \sqrt{D}}{2a} \)
\( t = \dfrac{-(-74.72) \pm \sqrt{19,944.38}}{2 \times 4.9} \)
\( t = \dfrac{74.72 \pm 141.24}{9.8} \)
– Negative root yields negative time (unphysical), so use positive root:
\( t = \dfrac{74.72 + 141.24}{9.8} \approx \dfrac{215.96}{9.8} \approx 22.04 \, \text{s} \)

Found the time of flight \( t \) for the package.
6 (a) Calculate the horizontal distance traveled:

\( x = v_{0x} t \)
\( x = 62.73 \times 22.04 \approx 1,382.71 \, \text{m} \)

Determined the horizontal distance from the release point to impact.
7 Calculate the final vertical velocity \( v_y \):

\( v_y = v_{0y} – g t \)
\( v_y = 74.72 – 9.8 \times 22.04 \)
\( v_y = 74.72 – 216 \approx -141.28 \, \text{m/s} \)

Computed the vertical component of velocity just before impact.
8 Calculate the magnitude of the final velocity \( v \):

\( v = \sqrt{v_{x}^2 + v_{y}^2} \)
\( v = \sqrt{(62.73)^2 + (-141.28)^2} \)
\( v = \sqrt{3,936.57 + 19,948.84} \)
\( v = \sqrt{23,885.41} \approx 154.57 \, \text{m/s} \)

Found the speed of the package just before impact.
9 (b) Determine the angle \( \phi \) of the velocity vector:

\( \tan \phi = \dfrac{|v_y|}{v_x} = \dfrac{141.28}{62.73} \approx 2.252 \)
\( \phi = \arctan(2.252) \approx 66.66^\circ \)
The angle is below the horizontal since \( v_y \) is downward.

Calculated the angle of the velocity vector relative to the ground.

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(a) \( 1379.29 \, \text{m} \)

(b) \( 66.1^\circ \) below the horizontal.

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KinematicsForces
\(\Delta x = v_i t + \frac{1}{2} at^2\)\(F = ma\)
\(v = v_i + at\)\(F_g = \frac{G m_1 m_2}{r^2}\)
\(v^2 = v_i^2 + 2a \Delta x\)\(f = \mu N\)
\(\Delta x = \frac{v_i + v}{2} t\)\(F_s =-kx\)
\(v^2 = v_f^2 \,-\, 2a \Delta x\) 
Circular MotionEnergy
\(F_c = \frac{mv^2}{r}\)\(KE = \frac{1}{2} mv^2\)
\(a_c = \frac{v^2}{r}\)\(PE = mgh\)
\(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{r}{g}}\)\(KE_i + PE_i = KE_f + PE_f\)
 \(W = Fd \cos\theta\)
MomentumTorque 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 MotionFluids
\(F = -kx\)\(P = \frac{F}{A}\)
\(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}\)\(P_{\text{total}} = P_{\text{atm}} + \rho gh\)
\(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}\)\(Q = Av\)
\(x(t) = A \cos(\omega t + \phi)\)\(F_b = \rho V g\)
\(a = -\omega^2 x\)\(A_1v_1 = A_2v_2\)
ConstantDescription
[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
VariableSI 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]
VariableDerived 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. 

  1. Start with the given measurement: [katex]\text{5 km}[/katex]

  2. 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]

  3. 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]

  4. 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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