College Physics by Openstax Chapter 2 Problem 52: Kinematic Analysis of an Object Dropped from a Height of Seventy Five Meters

Problem:

An object is dropped from a height of 75.0 m above ground level. (a) Determine the distance traveled during the first second. (b) Determine the final velocity at which the object hits the ground. (c) Determine the distance traveled during the last second of motion before hitting the ground.

Solution:

Consider Figure 1. The object was dropped from a height of 75.0 m. At the start of motion, the velocity is zero, $v_{oy}=0$ .

The object traveled for a period of time t for the whole 75.0 m distance to the ground.

Part A

We are solving for the distance traveled by the object for the first 1 second. So, we have

\begin{align*} \Delta y & = v_{oy} t + \frac{1}{2}at^2\\ \Delta y & = \left( 0 \ \text{m/s} \right)\left( 1 \ \text{s} \right)+\frac{1}{2}\left( -9.81 \ \text{m/s}^2 \right)\left( 1 \ \text{s} \right)^2 \\ \Delta y & = 0 -4.905 \ \text{m} \\ \Delta y & = -4.91 \ \text{m} \\ |\Delta y| & =4.91 \ \text{m} \end{align*}

The negative sign of Δy indicates that the direction of the displacement is downward. Since we are looking for the scalar value of the distance, the answer is 4.91 m.

Part B

So we now consider the two positions of the object as shown in the figure to the right. The initial height of the object is 75.0 m above the ground, and the initial velocity is 0.

At the ground, we know that the position of the object is 0 m above the ground, but we do not know the time and velocity. Therefore, to determine the velocity of the object at this point, we proceed as follows:

\begin{align*} \left( v_2 \right)^2 & =\left( v_1 \right)^2+2a \Delta y \\ \left( v_2 \right)^2 & =\left( v_1 \right)^2+2a \left( y_2-y_1 \right) \\ v_2 & = \pm \sqrt{\left( v_1 \right)^2+2a \left( y_2-y_1 \right)}\\ v_2 & = \pm \sqrt{\left( 0\ \text{m/s} \right)^2+2\left( -9.81\ \text{m/s}^2 \right)\left( 0 \ \text{m}-75\ \text{m} \right)} \\ v_2 & = \pm \ 38.4\ \text{m/s}\\ v_2 & =- 38.4\ \text{m/s}\\ \end{align*}

Since the object is directing downwards when it hit the ground, the velocity is negative.

Part C

First, we calculate the total time of the object’s motion from the beginning to the ground.

\begin{align*} \Delta y & =\bcancel{v_{oy}t}+ \frac{1}{2}at^2 \\ \Delta y & = \frac{1}{2}at^2 \\ 0 \text{m}-75\ \text{m} & = \frac{1}{2}\left( -9.81\ \text{m/s}^2 \right)t^2 \\ t^2& =\frac{-75\ \text{m}}{-4.905 \text{m/s}^2}\\ t&=\sqrt{\frac{75\ \text{m}}{4.905 \text{m/s}^2}}\\ t&=3.91 \ \text{s} \end{align*}

Second, determine the total distance traveled from 0 s to 2.91 s, leaving out the last 1 s of the motion.

\begin{align*} \Delta y & = v_{oy} t + \frac{1}{2}at^2\\ \Delta y & = \left( 0 \ \text{m/s} \right)\left( 1 \ \text{s} \right)+\frac{1}{2}\left( -9.81 \ \text{m/s}^2 \right)\left( 2.91 \ \text{s} \right)^2 \\ \Delta y & = 0 -41.5 \ \text{m} \\ \Delta y & = -41.5 \ \text{m} \\ |\Delta y| & =41.5 \ \text{m} \end{align*}

Finally, subtract this distance from the total distance traveled to get the distance traveled in the last 1 second.

\begin{align*} y_{_{\text{last 1 sec}}} & = 75.0 \ \text{m}-41.5 \ \text{m} \\ y_{_{\text{last 1 sec}}} & = 33.5\ \text{m} \end{align*}

College Physics Chapter 2 Problems

Problem 1	Problem 2	Problem 3	Problem 4	Problem 5
Problem 6	Problem 7	Problem 8	Problem 9	Problem 10
Problem 11	Problem 12	Problem 13	Problem 14	Problem 15
Problem 16	Problem 17	Problem 18	Problem 19	Problem 20
Problem 21	Problem 22	Problem 23	Problem 24	Problem 25
Problem 26	Problem 27	Problem 28	Problem 29	Problem 30
Problem 31	Problem 32	Problem 33	Problem 34	Problem 35
Problem 36	Problem 37	Problem 38	Problem 39	Problem 40
Problem 41	Problem 42	Problem 43	Problem 44	Problem 45
Problem 46	Problem 47	Problem 48	Problem 49	Problem 50
Problem 51	Problem 52	Problem 53	Problem 54	Problem 55
Problem 56	Problem 57	Problem 58	Problem 59	Problem 60
Problem 61	Problem 62	Problem 63	Problem 64	Problem 65
Problem 66