| Derivation / Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|
| \[v_x = v_i \cos\theta\] | The horizontal component of velocity is constant because no horizontal forces act (neglect air resistance). |
| \[v_y = 0\] | At the highest point the vertical component is momentarily zero; the ball changes from rising to falling. |
| \[v = v_x\] | Since \(v_y = 0\), the speed equals the horizontal component, giving the minimum speed along the trajectory. |
| \[a = g\] | The ball is always under the downward gravitational acceleration, so the magnitude of acceleration is \(g\), never zero. |
| Derivation / Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|
| \[a = 0\] | False for projectiles; acceleration remains \(g\). Therefore option (a) is incorrect. |
| \[v = 0\] | Only true if the ball were hit straight up; for a ball “hit high and far” \(v_x\neq0\). Option (b) is incorrect. |
| \[v = v_{\min}\] | Speed is smallest when \(v_y=0\); option (c) is correct. |
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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?
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 \(45 \, \text{m/s}\) at an angle of \(29^\circ\) above the horizontal. When the ball lands, it is at the same level as the tee. On the distant planet find:
A ball is kicked at a speed of \( v_0 \) at an angle \( \theta \) above the horizontal. The ball travels 25 meters horizontally. If the ball is kicked at \( 2v_0 \), what will the horizontal displacement be?
A textbook is launched up with a speed of 20 m/s, at an angle of 36°, from a 12 m high roof.
A projectile is launched at angle \( \theta \) to the horizontal, with velocity \( v \), maximum vertical displacement \( s \), and angle \( \theta \) between \( 0^{\circ} \) and \( 45^{\circ} \). What will the maximum vertical displacement be if the projectile is now launched at an angle of \( 2 \theta \) from the horizontal with velocity \( v \)?
A stone is thrown horizontally at \(8.0 \, \text{m/s}\) from a cliff \(80 \,\text{m}\) high. How far from the base of the cliff will the stone strike the ground?
Two cannonballs, A and B, are fired from the ground with identical initial speeds, but with \( \theta_A \) larger than \( \theta_B \).
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 rock is thrown from the top of a \( 15 \) \( \text{m} \) building at an unknown angle and speed. It hits a target on the ground \( 35 \) \( \text{m} \) away horizontally \( 3 \) \( \text{s} \) after launch. What was the rock’s launch angle?

A ball of mass \(m\) is released from rest at a distance \(h\) above a frictionless plane inclined at an angle of \(45^\circ\) to the horizontal as shown above. The ball bounces horizontally off the plane at point \(P_1\) with the same speed with which it struck the plane and strikes the plane again at point \(P_2\). In terms of \(g\) and \(h\), determine each of the following quantities:
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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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