Menu
A javelin thrower standing at rest holds the center of the javelin behind her head, then accelerates it through a distance of 70 cm as she throws. She releases the 600 g javelin 2.0 m above the ground traveling at an angle of 30° above the horizontal. In this throw, the javelin hits the ground 54 m away. Find:
The acceleration of the javelin during the throw.
| Step | Formula Derivation | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | v^2 = u^2 + 2as | Kinematic equation for final velocity (v), with initial velocity (u = 0), acceleration (a), and displacement (s). |
| 2 | d = v_{0x} t | Horizontal range equation with d as distance and t as time. |
| 3 | v_{0x} = v_0 \cos(\theta) | Horizontal velocity component in terms of release velocity (v_0) and angle (\theta). |
| 4 | t = \frac{d}{v_0 \cos(\theta)} | Time of flight in terms of horizontal range and horizontal velocity component. |
| 5 | v_{0y} = v_0 \sin(\theta) | Vertical velocity component in terms of release velocity and angle. |
| 6 | 0 = v_{0y} t – \frac{1}{2} g t^2 | Vertical motion equation with v_{0y} as initial vertical velocity and g as gravitational acceleration. |
| 7 | t = \frac{2v_{0y}}{g} | Solve for time of flight t. |
| 8 | v_0 = \frac{d}{t \cos(\theta)} | Substitute t into horizontal range equation to solve for v_0. |
| 9 | a = \frac{v_0^2}{2s} | Use the found value of v_0 to solve for acceleration a. |
| 10 | v_0 = 23.98 , \text{m/s}, t = 2.60 , \text{s}, a = 410.58 , \text{m/s}^2 | Final values calculated from the equations above. |
Acceleration: \boxed{a = 410.58 , \text{m/s}^2}
Time: \boxed{t = 2.60 , \text{s}}
3 clay balls, labeled A, B, and C are launched from the same height at the same speed as shown below. A is launched at 30° above horizontal, B is launched horizontally, and C is launched 30° below the horizontal. They all hit the wall (before reaching the ground) in times tA, tB, and tC respectively. Rank these times from least to greatest.
Three identical rocks are launched with identical speeds from the top of a platform of height h0.
Which of the following correctly relates the magnitude vy of the vertical component of the velocity of each rock immediately before it hits the ground?
A cannon fires projectiles on a flat range at a fixed speed but with variable angle. The maximum range of the cannon is L. What is the range of the cannon when it fires at an angle of 30° above the horizontal? Ignore air resistance.
A baseball rolls off a 0.70 m high desk and strikes the floor 0.25 m away from the base of the desk. How fast was the ball rolling?
A rocket-powered hockey puck has a thrust of 4.40 N and a total mass of 1.00 kg . It is released from rest on a frictionless table, 2.10 m from the edge of a 2.10 m drop. The front of the rocket is pointed directly toward the edge. Assuming that the thrust of the rocket present for the entire time of travel, how far does the puck land from the base of the table?
A golfer hits a shot to a green that is elevated 2.80 m above the point where the ball is struck. The ball leaves the club at a speed of 18.9 m/s at an angle of 52.0° above the horizontal. It rises to its maximum height and then falls down to the green. Ignoring air resistance, find the speed of the ball just before it lands.
A marble is thrown horizontally with a speed of 15 m/s from the top of a building. When it strikes the ground, the marble has a velocity that makes an angle of 65° with the horizontal. From what height above the ground was the marble thrown?
An airplane with a speed of 97.5 m/s is climbing upward at an angle of 50.0° with respect to the horizontal. When the plane’s altitude is 732 m, the pilot releases a package.
A rifle is used to shoot a target twice, using identical cartridges. The first time, the rifle is aimed parallel to the ground and directly at the center of the bull’s-eye. The bullet strikes the target at a distance of HA below the center, however. The second time, the rifle is similarly aimed, but from twice the distance from the target. This time the bullet strikes the target at a distance of HB below the center. Find the ratio НB/ НА.
Suppose the water at the top of Niagara Falls has a horizontal speed of 2.7 m/s just before it cascades over the edge of the falls. At what vertical distance below the edge does the velocity vector of the water point downward at a 75° angle below the horizontal?
A major-league pitcher can throw a baseball in excess of 41.0 m/s. If a ball is thrown horizontally at this speed, how much will it drop by the time it reaches a catcher who is 17.0 m away from the point of release?
In the absence of air resistance, a projectile is launched from, returns to ground level and has a range of 23 m. Suppose the launch speed is doubled, and the projectile is fired at the same angle above the ground. What is the new range?
An eagle is flying horizontally at 6.0 m/s with a fish in its claws. It accidentally drops the fish.
A rocket is fired at a speed of 75.0 m/s from ground level, at an angle of 60.0° above the horizontal. The rocket is fired toward an 11.0-m-high wall, which is located 27.0 m away. The rocket attains its launch speed in a negligibly short period of time, after which its engines shut down and the rocket coasts. By how much does the rocket clear the top of the wall?
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 m/s at an angle of 29° above the horizontal. When the ball lands, it is at the same level as the tee. On the distant planet find:
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.
Measurements made in 1910 indicate that the common flea is an impressive jumper, given its size. Assume that a flea’s initial speed is 2.1 m/s, and that it leaps at an angle of 21° with respect to the horizontal. The jump lasts 0.16 s.
A cat chases a mouse across a 1.0 m high table. The mouse steps out of the way, and the cat slides off the table and strikes the floor 2.2 m from the edge of the table. When the cat slid off the table, what was its speed?
The highest barrier that a projectile can clear is 16.2 m, when the projectile is launched at an angle of 22.0° above the horizontal. What is the projectile’s launch speed?
A person shoots a basket ball with a speed of 12 m/s at an angle of 35° above the horizontal. If the person is 2.4 m tall and the hoop is 3.05 m above the ground, how far back must the person stand in order to make the shot?
You kick a soccer ball with an initial velocity directed 53° above the horizontal. The ball lands on a roof 7.2 m high. The wall of the building is 25 m away, and it takes the ball 2.1 seconds to pass directly over the wall.
You must split an apple resting on top of you friend’s head from a distance of 27 m. When you aim directly at the apple, the arrow is horizontal. At what angle should you aim the arrow to hit the apple if the arrow travels at a speed of 35 m/s?
A diver springs upward from a diving board. At the instant she contacts the water her speed is 8.90 m/s, and her body is extended at an angle of 75.0° with respect to the horizontal surface of the water. At this instant her vertical displacement is -3.00 m, where downward is the negative direction. Determine her initial velocity, both magnitude and direction.
Which of the following statements about the acceleration due to gravity is TRUE?
A ball is kicked at a speed of vo an angle ø above the horizontal. The ball travels 25 meters horizontally. If the ball is kicked at 2vo, what will the horizontal displacement be?
Advanced Placement® and AP® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this product.
By continuing, you agree to the updated Terms of Sale, Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.
What would you like us to add, improve, or change on this page? We listen to all your feedback!
| Kinematics | Forces |
|---|---|
| \Delta x = v_i \cdot t + \frac{1}{2} a \cdot t^2 | F = m \cdot a |
| v = v_i + a \cdot t | F_g = \frac{G \cdot m_1 \cdot m_2}{r^2} |
| a = \frac{\Delta v}{\Delta t} | f = \mu \cdot N |
| R = \frac{v_i^2 \cdot \sin(2\theta)}{g} |
| Circular Motion | Energy |
|---|---|
| F_c = \frac{m \cdot v^2}{r} | KE = \frac{1}{2} m \cdot v^2 |
| a_c = \frac{v^2}{r} | PE = m \cdot g \cdot h |
| KE_i + PE_i = KE_f + PE_f |
| Momentum | Torque and Rotations |
|---|---|
| p = m \cdot v | \tau = r \cdot F \cdot \sin(\theta) |
| J = \Delta p | I = \sum m \cdot r^2 |
| p_i = p_f | L = I \cdot \omega |
| Simple Harmonic Motion |
|---|
| F = -k \cdot x |
| T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}} |
| T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}} |
| Constant | Description |
|---|---|
| g | Acceleration due to gravity, typically 9.8 , \text{m/s}^2 on Earth’s surface |
| G | Universal Gravitational Constant, 6.674 \times 10^{-11} , \text{N} \cdot \text{m}^2/\text{kg}^2 |
| \mu_k and \mu_s | Coefficients of kinetic (\mu_k) and static (\mu_s) friction, dimensionless. Static friction (\mu_s) is usually greater than kinetic friction (\mu_k) as it resists the start of motion. |
| k | Spring constant, in \text{N/m} |
| Variable | SI Unit |
|---|---|
| s (Displacement) | \text{meters (m)} |
| v (Velocity) | \text{meters per second (m/s)} |
| a (Acceleration) | \text{meters per second squared (m/s}^2\text{)} |
| t (Time) | \text{seconds (s)} |
| m (Mass) | \text{kilograms (kg)} |
| Variable | Derived SI Unit |
|---|---|
| F (Force) | \text{newtons (N)} |
| E, PE, KE (Energy, Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy) | \text{joules (J)} |
| P (Power) | \text{watts (W)} |
| p (Momentum) | \text{kilogram meters per second (kg·m/s)} |
| \omega (Angular Velocity) | \text{radians per second (rad/s)} |
| \tau (Torque) | \text{newton meters (N·m)} |
| I (Moment of Inertia) | \text{kilogram meter squared (kg·m}^2\text{)} |
| f (Frequency) | \text{hertz (Hz)} |
General Metric Conversion Chart
Example of using unit analysis: Convert 5 kilometers to millimeters.
Start with the given measurement: \text{5 km}
Use the conversion factors for kilometers to meters and meters to millimeters: \text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}}
Perform the multiplication: \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}
Simplify to get the final answer: \boxed{5 \times 10^6 \, \text{mm}}
Prefix | Symbol | Power of Ten | Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
Pico- | p | 10^{-12} | |
Nano- | n | 10^{-9} | |
Micro- | µ | 10^{-6} | |
Milli- | m | 10^{-3} | |
Centi- | c | 10^{-2} | |
Deci- | d | 10^{-1} | |
(Base unit) | – | 10^{0} | |
Deca- or Deka- | da | 10^{1} | |
Hecto- | h | 10^{2} | |
Kilo- | k | 10^{3} | |
Mega- | M | 10^{6} | |
Giga- | G | 10^{9} | |
Tera- | T | 10^{12} |
