More on Projectile Motion!!

While studying in Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf this fine Sunday afternoon, I noticed some physics going on! I payed for my drink and cornbread muffin and then went to sit down to study. When I put my wallet down, a quarter fell out of the pocket and fell to the ground. This reminded me of projectile motion!!





Now remember, there is one important rule to follow while using axes: the Vegas rule. In a previous blog post, I explained that the Vegas rule states that "what ever happens on the x axis, stays on the x axis" and "what ever happens on the y axis stays on the y axis". The only thing that is constant when trying to find either position, time, or range is that time is constant in both axes. If time is 3 seconds in the x, time is 3 seconds in the y.



My quarter is a wonderful example of projectile motion. The table that my quarter fell from was 2m from the ground. It fell at an initial velocity of 1m/s. We need to find where it's going to land to pick it up. Lets list our givens!!

With this information, we can use "dat" equation to find time (using info from the y axis)

d = 1/2at^2 + Vot

2m = 1/2(9.8m/s^2)t^2

2m = 4.9 m/s^2 (t^2)

0.408 = t^2

t = 0.64s

Fill in our givens table!

With this new info, we can find the distance it goes in the x axis!!

Use "dat" equation again!

d = 1/2at^2 + Vot

d = (1 m/s)(0.64s)

d = 0.64 m

If I wanted to catch my quarter off of the table, I would put my hands at 0.64 m away from the edge of the table. Great job!! Projectile motion is fun!