Massassi Forums Logo

This is the static archive of the Massassi Forums. The forums are closed indefinitely. Thanks for all the memories!

You can also download Super Old Archived Message Boards from when Massassi first started.

"View" counts are as of the day the forums were archived, and will no longer increase.

ForumsDiscussion Forum → Physics Problem
Physics Problem
2008-09-12, 7:28 PM #1
Ok, so I'm working on some homework here, and I'm stumped. Its a projectile motion problem, but unlike any we've worked on in class, there are no examples of it in the book or anywhere. I've been wracking my brain trying to figure this out and I'm coming up blank (which probably means its a really simple problem :P). I don't need the answer necessarily, but I want to know what it is I'm doing wrong in my approach to solving the problem. So, Massassi, I turn to you for help! Here it is, word for word.

A home run is hit in such a way that the baseball just clears a wall 21 meters high, located 130 meters from home plate. The ball is hit at an angle of 41.3 degrees to the horizontal, and air resistance is negligible. Find (a) the initial speed of the ball, (b) the time it takes the ball to reach the wall, and (c) the speed of the ball when it reaches the wall. (Assume the ball is hit at a height of 1.0 meters above the ground.)

I've looked at the 3 kinematics equations and no matter how I look at it or what I substitute, I always still end up with 2 unknowns and am unable to solve the problem. I'm obviously going about it the wrong way, but just can't figure out how this works. Suggestions?
Life is beautiful.
2008-09-12, 7:53 PM #2
I'm gonna refer to the initial angle 41.3* as x because it's easier

(v0sin(x))t - (1/2)gt^2 = 22 m
(v0cos(x)t = 130 m

Solve second equation for t which gets you t = 130/v0cos(x)

plug that into the first equation, solve for v0

Plug v0 back into either equation to solve for t
一个大西瓜
2008-09-12, 7:58 PM #3
Figured it had to be a substitution somewhere, just wasn't seeing it. Thanks Pommy.
Life is beautiful.
2008-09-12, 8:04 PM #4
I'm also assuming that it should equal 20 and not 22 since starting height is 1 and ending height is 21. A typo?
Life is beautiful.
2008-09-12, 9:00 PM #5
Yeah my bad, it's 20
一个大西瓜

↑ Up to the top!