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| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[v = \sqrt{v_x^2 + v_y^2}\] | The instantaneous speed \(v\) of the projectile is the magnitude of its velocity vector, which has horizontal component \(v_x\) and vertical component \(v_y\). |
| 2 | \[v_x = v_i \cos \theta_0\] | In ideal projectile motion (no air resistance), the horizontal velocity component \(v_x\) remains constant and equals the initial horizontal component. |
| 3 | \[v_y = v_i \sin \theta_0 – g t\] | The vertical component decreases linearly with time due to the constant downward acceleration \(g\). |
| 4 | \[v_y = 0 \quad \Longrightarrow \quad t = \frac{v_i \sin \theta_0}{g}\] | At the highest point of the trajectory, the projectile momentarily stops moving upward, so its vertical velocity component becomes zero. |
| 5 | \[v_{\text{top}} = \sqrt{v_x^2 + 0^2} = v_x = v_i \cos \theta_0\] | With \(v_y = 0\), the speed is purely horizontal and equals the constant horizontal component. |
| 6 | \[v_{\text{any other point}} = \sqrt{v_x^2 + v_y^2} > v_x\] | Everywhere else along the path, \(|v_y| > 0\), so the speed exceeds the horizontal component. Thus, the smallest speed occurs where \(v_y = 0\). |
| 7 | \[\boxed{\text{Minimum speed occurs at the highest point of the trajectory}}\] | Concluding statement: the projectile’s speed is least at the apex because its vertical velocity component is zero there. |
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Barry Bonds hits a \(125 \,\text{m}\) home run. Assuming that the ball left the bat at an angle of \(45^\circ\) from the horizontal, calculate how long the ball was in the air.
A projectile is launched at an angle of \( 30^{\circ} \) and hits a vertical wall \( 40 \) \( \text{m} \) away. After bouncing back horizontally, it lands \( 15 \) \( \text{m} \) behind the launch point. How high up on the wall did the projectile strike?
Which statements are not valid for a projectile? Take up as positive.
A projectile is launched at \( 20 \) \( \text{m/s} \) and lands \( 35 \) \( \text{m} \) away on level ground. At what two horizontal positions is the projectile exactly \( 5.0 \) \( \text{m} \) above the ground?
A baseball is hit high and far across a field. Which of the following statements is true? At the highest point:
Two balls are thrown off a building with the same speed, one straight up and one at a 45° angle. Which statement is true if air resistance can be ignored?

On another planet, a ball is in free fall after being released from rest at time \( t = 0 \). A graph of the height of the ball above the planet’s surface as a function of time \( t \) is shown. The acceleration due to gravity on the planet is most nearly
A ball is thrown straight up with a speed of \( 30 \) \( \text{m/s} \), and air resistance is negligible.
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?
An object is thrown straight upward at 64 m/s.
\(\text{highest point of trajectory}\)
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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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