AP Physics Unit

Unit 2 - Linear Forces

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Mathematical

GQ

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?

2.81 meters from the base of the table

1. Horizontal Motion on the Table

Step Formula Derivation Reasoning
1 a = \frac{F}{m} Calculating horizontal acceleration (a) from thrust (F) and mass (m).
2 s = ut + \frac{1}{2}at^2 Distance formula for motion with constant acceleration.
3 2.10, \text{m} = \frac{1}{2}a t_{\text{table}}^2 Distance covered on the table is 2.10 m, initial velocity (u) is 0.
4 t_{\text{table}} = \sqrt{\frac{2 \times 2.10, \text{m}}{a}} Solving for the time (t_{\text{table}}) taken to travel across the table.
5 v_{x} = at_{\text{table}} Calculating the horizontal velocity (v_{x}) at the edge of the table.
6 v_{x} = 4.2988, m/s Plug in values and solve.

2. Vertical Motion (Free Fall from the Table)

Step Formula Derivation Reasoning
1 y = \frac{1}{2}gt_{\text{fall}}^2 Distance formula for free fall, where y is the fall height and g is the acceleration due to gravity.
2 t_{\text{fall}} = \sqrt{\frac{2y}{g}} Solving for the time (t_{\text{fall}}) to fall 2.10 m.
3 t_{\text{fall}} = .654, s Plug in values and solve.

3. Horizontal Distance Traveled in the Air (Total Horizontal Distance from the Base of the Table)

Step Formula Derivation Reasoning
1 d_{\text{air}} = v_{x} t_{\text{fall}} Horizontal distance (d_{\text{air}}) traveled while falling, using the horizontal velocity at the edge of the table and the fall time.
2 d_{\text{air}} =4.3 * .65 Plug in values to get d_{\text{air}} = 2.81, m. Final Answer.

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2.81 meters from the base of the table

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Nerd-Notes.com
KinematicsForces
\Delta x = v_i \cdot t + \frac{1}{2} a \cdot t^2F = m \cdot a
v = v_i + a \cdot tF_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 MotionEnergy
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
MomentumTorque and Rotations
p = m \cdot v\tau = r \cdot F \cdot \sin(\theta)
J = \Delta pI = \sum m \cdot r^2
p_i = p_fL = I \cdot \omega
Simple Harmonic Motion
F = -k \cdot x
T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}
T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}
ConstantDescription
gAcceleration due to gravity, typically 9.8 , \text{m/s}^2 on Earth’s surface
GUniversal Gravitational Constant, 6.674 \times 10^{-11} , \text{N} \cdot \text{m}^2/\text{kg}^2
\mu_k and \mu_sCoefficients 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.
kSpring constant, in \text{N/m}
VariableSI 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)}
VariableDerived 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. 

  1. Start with the given measurement: \text{5 km}

  2. 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}}

  3. 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}

  4. 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}

  1. Some answers may be slightly off by 1% depending on rounding, etc.
  2. Answers will use different values of gravity. Some answers use 9.81 m/s2, and other 10 m/s2 for calculations.
  3. Variables are sometimes written differently from class to class. For example, sometime initial velocity v_i is written as u ; sometimes \Delta x is written as s .
  4. Bookmark questions that you can’t solve so you can come back to them later. 
  5. Always get help if you can’t figure out a problem. The sooner you can get it cleared up the better chances of you not getting it wrong on a test!
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