| 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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A ball is dropped from a window \(10 \, \) above the sidewalk. Determine the time it takes for the ball to fall to the sidewalk.
A helicopter is ascending vertically with a speed of \( 5.40 \) \( \text{m/s} \). At a height of \( 105 \) \( \text{m} \) above the Earth, a package is dropped from the helicopter. How much time does it take for the package to reach the ground?
A marble is thrown horizontally with a speed of \(15 \, \text{m/s}\) from the top of a building. When it strikes the ground, the marble has a velocity that makes an angle of \(65^\circ\) with the horizontal. From what height above the ground was the marble thrown?
A stone is thrown vertically upwards with a speed of \( 20.0 \) \( \text{m/s} \). How fast is it moving when it reaches a height of \( 12.0 \) \( \text{m} \)?
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:
A 100-pound rock and a 1-pound metal arrow pointed downwards are dropped from height \( h \). Assuming there is no air resistance, which one hits the ground first and why?
An object is released from rest near the surface of a planet. The velocity of the object as a function of time is expressed in the following equation. \( v_y = (-3) \, \text{m/s}^2 \, t \) All frictional forces are considered to be negligible. What distance does the object fall \( 10 \) \( \text{s} \) after it is released from rest?
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 diver springs upward from a diving board. At the instant she contacts the water, her speed is \( 8.90 \, \text{m/s} \), and her body is extended at an angle of \( 75.0^\circ \) with respect to the horizontal surface of the water. At this instant, her vertical displacement is \( -3.00 \, \text{m} \), where downward is the negative direction. Determine her initial velocity, both magnitude and direction.
Two balls are launched at the same time from opposite sides of a \( 100 \) \( \text{m} \) wide and \(1000 ~\text{m}\) canyon. Ball A is launched at \( 20 \) \( \text{m/s} \) at \( 45^{\circ} \) from the left side. Ball B is launched at \( 20 \) \( \text{m/s} \) at \( 45^{\circ} \) from the right side.
\(\text{highest point of trajectory}\)
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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] | |
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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