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Tutorial02 Solutions

The document discusses projectile motion through two scenarios involving a ball thrown towards a cliff and a skier jumping from a hill. It provides calculations for the height of the cliff, maximum height of the ball, impact speed, and the horizontal distance traveled by the skier. The calculations are based on initial velocities, angles, and time of flight, with numerical values provided at the end of each part.

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6 views3 pages

Tutorial02 Solutions

The document discusses projectile motion through two scenarios involving a ball thrown towards a cliff and a skier jumping from a hill. It provides calculations for the height of the cliff, maximum height of the ball, impact speed, and the horizontal distance traveled by the skier. The calculations are based on initial velocities, angles, and time of flight, with numerical values provided at the end of each part.

Uploaded by

inezaodon1
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

PHYS 13310

Discussion 2: Projectile Motion

January 29, 2026

1. A ball is thrown toward a cliff with a speed of 30 m/s at an angle 60o above the
horizontal. It lands on the edge of the cliff 4.0 s later.

(a) Make a sketch of the situation, and choose coordinates. Call t = 0 when the ball
is thrown, t = t1 when it reaches the apex of its motion, and t = t2 when it lands
on the cliff. Work everything out symbolically using v0 = 30 m/s, θ = 60o , and
t2 = 4.0 s. Plug in numerical values only at the end of each part.

2
w̅
NY x̅
10
x
0,0

(b) How high is the cliff?


The y-coordinate of the ball is given by
1
y = yi + viy ∆t + ay (∆t)2
2
where yi = 0, viy = v0 sin θ, ay = −g, and ∆t = t − ti = t. So

1
y = v0 sin θt − gt2
2
The height of the cliff is then
1
y(t2 ) = v0 sin θt2 − gt22
2
Plugging in the numbers then gives y2 = 26 m.

1
(c) What was the maximum height reached by the ball?
At the maximum height, the instantaneous velocity is horizontal and
so v1y = 0. Using
2 2
v1y = v0y + 2ay (y1 − y0 ) = v02 sin2 θ − 2gy1

with v1y = 0, we find


v02 sin2 θ
y1 =
2g
Plugging in the numbers gives y1 = 34 m.
(d) What is the ball’s impact speed?
The speed is q
v= vx2 + vy2

At impact,1
v2x = v0x + ax ∆t = v0 cos θ
(since ax = 0), and

v2y = v0y + ay ∆t = v0 sin θ − gt2

Hence q
v = v02 cos2 θ + (v0 sin θ − gt2 )2
Plugging in the numbers gives v = 20 m/s.

2. A skier in the Olympics makes a jump from a hill that is 140 m high and that has an
angle of inclination of 35o below the horizontal. His speed when he leaves the hill is
44 m/s. Take that point to be the origin. His initial velocity is oriented in the same
direction as the ramp.

(a) Find the horizontal and vertical components of the jumper’s velocity at the launch
point. Assume our jumper slides straight off the ramp.
1
Just before impact, to be precise!
Take the +x-direction to be horizontal to the right and the +y-direction
to be vertical and up. The angle between the initial velocity and the
+x-axis is then −35o . The launch point is the origin, i.e., the point
where (x, y) = (0, 0). In addition,

v0x = +(44 m/s) cos(35o ) = 36 m/s

v0y = −(44 m/s) sin(35o ) = −25 m/s


(b) Find the distance d from the bottom of the hill to where the skier lands.
With our coordinate choice, ax = 0 and ay = −g. The kinematic equa-
tions in the x- and y-directions then read:

x(t) = v0x t
1
y(t) = v0y t − gt2
2
We can get the time the jumper is in the air from the y equation: the
jumper lands when y = −140 m, so
1
−140 = (−25)t − (9.8)t2
2
This is a quadratic equation with two solutions; we want the positive
one since the jumper lands at a time after t = 0. This is

t = 3.36 s

The x-coordinate where the jumper lands is then

x = v0x t = (36 m/s)(3.36 s) = 121 m

and this is the horizontal distance traveled.

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