confusing physics problem?
A ball is dropped from a cliff and 2 seconds later, a second ball is thrown vertically downward. What must be the initial velocity of the second ball if it overtakes the first ball as it passes 400 meters?
A ball is dropped from a cliff and 2 seconds later, a second ball is thrown vertically downward. What must be the initial velocity of the second ball if it overtakes the first ball as it passes 400 meters?
Comments
The distance each ball falls is the same:
½g*t² = Vi*(t - 2) + ½g(t - 2)²
t = time for ball 1 to fall 400 m = √(2y/g) = 9.035 sec
Solving the above eq for Vi →
Vi = 2g(t - 1)/(t - 2). Using the value of t computed above,
Vi = 22.386 m/s