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A rock is thrown vertically up and reaches a maximum height of 20m. What was its initial velocity?

User Kingofzeal
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1 Answer

7 votes

Answer:

Solve it simply,

Vi = 20 m /sec

Vf = 0 ( at max. height)

g = - 9.8 m/ sq. sec. ( -ve sign shows that the motion of the body is in opposite direction to that of gravity)

Height it gains=h = ?

time taken by the body=t=?

Using 3rd equation of kinematics,

2gh=Vf ˄2 – Vi˄2

implies that

h = Vf ˄2 – Vi˄2 / 2a

h = 0˄2 - (20)˄2 / 2(-9.8) = - 400/ -19.6

h = 20.4 m

So the maximum height the body can gain is approximately equal to 20.4 m.

Now , using 1st equation of kinematics:

Vf = Vi + at implies that,

t = Vf - Vi/g = 0 - 20/ - 9.8 = 2.04 sec.

So, it will take 2.04 sec. to get the max. height.

Note: in simple approximation if we take g =- 10 m/ sq.sec then the max. height the body can attain will be 20 m and the time required for it, is 2 sec.

User Aruna Karunarathna
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3.4k points