| Step | Derivation / Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[v_x = v_i \cos 45^{\circ} = \frac{25}{\sqrt{2}} \approx 17.68\,\text{m/s}\] | Resolve the launch velocity into its constant horizontal component. |
| 2 | \[v_{y_i}= v_i \sin 45^{\circ}= \frac{25}{\sqrt{2}} \approx 17.68\,\text{m/s}\] | Resolve the launch velocity into its initial vertical component. |
| 3 | \[\tfrac{1}{2} g t_1^{2}-v_{y_i} t_1-5 = 0\] | Use vertical motion: \(\Delta y = v_{y_i}t-\tfrac{1}{2}gt^{2}\) with \(\Delta y=-5\,\text{m}\) (landing point is 5 m below the launch level). |
| 4 | \[t_1 = \frac{v_{y_i}+\sqrt{v_{y_i}^{2}+2g\,(5)}}{g}\] | Quadratic formula; choose the positive root for physical time. |
| 5 | \[t_1 \approx 3.87\,\text{s}\] | Substitute \(v_{y_i}=17.68\,\text{m/s}\) and \(g=9.8\,\text{m/s}^2\). |
| 6 | \[v_{y_f}=v_{y_i}-g t_1 \approx 17.68-9.8(3.87) \approx -20.27\,\text{m/s}\] | Vertical velocity immediately before hitting the slope. |
| 7 | \[v_{\text{impact}} = \sqrt{v_x^{2}+v_{y_f}^{2}} \approx 26.89\,\text{m/s}\] | Magnitude of the velocity vector at first impact. |
| 8 | \[v_{\text{rebound}} = 0.80\,v_{\text{impact}} \approx 21.51\,\text{m/s}\] | Given: the projectile rebounds vertically upward with 80 % of its impact speed; horizontal component is lost on the bounce. |
| 9 | \[t_{\text{up}} = \frac{v_{\text{rebound}}}{g} \approx 2.20\,\text{s}\] | Time to rise to the highest point where vertical speed becomes zero (\(v=0\)). |
| 10 | \[t_{\text{down}} = t_{\text{up}} \] | Symmetry of free fall: time to descend back to the rebound height equals ascent time. |
| 11 | \[t_2 = t_{\text{up}}+t_{\text{down}} = 2t_{\text{up}} \approx 4.39\,\text{s}\] | Total duration of the purely vertical motion after the rebound until final impact at the same level. |
| 12 | \[t_{\text{total}} = t_1 + t_2 = 3.87\,\text{s}+4.39\,\text{s} \approx 8.26\,\text{s}\] | Add the time for the initial projectile flight and the subsequent vertical up-and-down motion. |
| 13 | \[\boxed{t_{\text{total}} \;\approx\; 8.26\,\text{s}}\] | Total time from launch until the final impact at the base of the slope. |
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A javelin thrower, of height \( 1.8 \) \( \text{m} \), throws a javelin with initial velocity of \( 26 \) \( \text{m s}^{-1} \) at \( 38^{\circ} \) to the horizontal. Calculate the time taken for the javelin to reach the ground from its maximum height. Give your answer in seconds and to an appropriate number of significant figures.
Which statements are not valid for a projectile? Take up as positive.

In a lab experiment, a ball is rolled down a ramp so that it leaves the edge of the table with a horizontal velocity \(v\). Assume there are no frictional forces. If the table has a height \(h\) above the ground, how far away from the edge of the table, a distance \(x\), does the ball land?
A soccer ball is kicked horizontally off an \( 85 \) \( \text{m} \) high cliff at a speed of \( 34 \) \( \text{m/s} \). What is the ball’s final speed when it hits the ground below?
A ball is launched at an angle. At the peak of its trajectory, which of the following is true?
An object is thrown straight upward at 64 m/s.
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?
A plane, 220 meters high, is dropping a supply crate to an island below. It is traveling with a horizontal velocity of 150 m/s. At what horizontal distance must the plane drop the supply crate for it to land on the island? Use \( g = 9.81 \, m/s^2\).

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
Seo-Jun throws a ball to her friend Zuri. The ball leaves Seo-Jun’s hand from a height \( h = 1.5 \) \( \text{m} \) above the ground with an initial speed \( \vec{v}_{s,0} = 12 \) \( \text{m/s} \) at an angle of \( \theta = 25^\circ \) with respect to the horizontal. Zuri catches the ball at a height of \( h = 1.5 \) \( \text{m} \) above the ground.
After catching the ball, Zuri throws it back to Seo-Jun. The ball leaves Zuri’s hand from a height \( h = 1.5 \) \( \text{m} \) above the ground. The ball is moving with a speed of \( 15 \) \( \text{m/s} \) when it reaches a maximum height of \( 5.8 \) \( \text{m} \) above the ground.
At what height \( h’ \) above the ground will the ball be when the return throw reaches Seo-Jun?
\(8.26\,\text{s}\)
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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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