VERTICAL PROJECTILE MOTION

EQUATIONS OF MOTION

QUESTION 1

A ball is projected vertically upwards from the ground with a speed of 18 m•s-1. It passes the
roof of a 5 m tall building on its way up and reaches its maximum height at B. On its way
down, the ball strikes the roof of the building at point A as shown in the diagram below.
Ignore the effects of air friction.

1.1 Write down the magnitude of the velocity of the ball at point B the maximum height above
the ground. (1)

1.2 Write down the magnitude and direction of the acceleration of the ball at point B. (2)

1.3 Calculate the following regarding the ball:

1.3.1 The time it takes to reach point B above the ground (3)

1.3.2 The velocity at the instant it strikes the roof at point A (3)

1.3.3 The total time it takes, from the instant it is projected to the time it strikes the roof at
point A (4)

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QUESTION 2

A boy kicks a ball vertically upwards from a height of 0,6 m above the ground. The ball
moves past the top of a building, 21 m higher than the point from where he kicked the ball.

The ball hits the roof of the building 3,1 s after it was kicked. The ball bounces once off the
roof of the building and then comes to rest. Ignore all effects of air resistance.

2.1 Write down the magnitude and direction of the acceleration of the ball at point X. (2)

2.2 Calculate the magnitude of the velocity with which the ball was kicked. (4)

2.3 Calculate the maximum height that the ball reaches above the ground. (4)

2.4 Refer to the sketch and state whether the collision of the ball on the roof is ELASTIC or
INELASTIC. Give a reason for the answer. (2)

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QUESTION 3

A stationary rocket on the ground is launched vertically upwards. When it is 550 m above the
ground (point Q), an object is released from the rocket. At this instant the velocity of the
rocket is 110 m·s-1. The object reaches its MAXIMUM height ABOVE ground at point R.
Ignore the effects of air friction.

3.1 Give a reason why the object keeps moving upwards after it is released from the rocket.
(1)

3.2 What is the direction of the acceleration of the object at:

3.2.1 point P? (1)

3.2.2 point R? (1)

3.3 ONLY use EQUATIONS OF MOTION to calculate the time taken by the OBJECT to:

3.3.1 reach its maximum height after being released from the rocket at point Q. (3)

3.3.2 reach the ground after being released from the rocket at point Q. (4)

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QUESTION 4

Sandile, who is standing on a platform, throws a small metal ball vertically upward, from a
height of 1,73 m above the ground, into the air at 8 m·s-1. The ball travels pass the top of the
building and returns to Sandile’s hand which is still at 1,73 m above the ground. Ignore the
effects of friction.

4.1 With what speed does the ball strike Sandile’s hand? (1)

4.2 Using an equation of motion and NOT energy principles, calculate the maximum height
that the ball reaches above the ground. (4)

4.3 If a window on the top floor of the building is at a height of 2,5 m above Sandile’s hand,
calculate the time taken for the ball, from the moment it was thrown, to pass the top of the
window on its return to Sandile’s hand. (5)
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QUESTION 5

A girl is playing in her bedroom with a super bouncy ball which has a mass of 50 g.

The girl throws the super bouncy ball straight down towards the ground from an unknown
height (h) with a speed of 3 m·s-1. It hits the ground and bounces straight up past her and it
reaches its maximum height 0,6 s after bouncing. Ignore the effects of air friction.

5.1 Calculate the speed with which the ball leaves the floor after bouncing. (3)

5.2 If the ball loses 5% of its kinetic energy during each bounce, calculate the kinetic energy
of the ball just before its first bounce. (4)

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QUESTION 6

A cricket ball is hit vertically upwards at a velocity of 30 m.s-1 from the ground. After 4s it
strikes a bird flying by. The cricket ball then strikes the ground at 27m.s-1. It bounces off the
ground at a velocity of 24 m.s-1 as illustrated below. Ignore the effects of friction.

6.1. Calculate:

6.1.1. The time to reach the maximum height after it is hit upwards. (3)

6.1.2. The height at which the cricket ball strikes the bird. (4)

6.2. Calculate the displacement of the ball from the moment is strikes the bird till it reaches
its maximum height after bouncing off the ground. (5)

6.4. Is the collision of the ball and the ground ELASTIC or INELASTIC?

Explain your answer. (3)

A cricket ball, mass 156 g, is dropped from point A on a tall building, 15 m high. It strikes the
concrete pavement and it then bounces to a maximum height of 4 m.

7.1 Calculate the velocity with which the cricket ball strikes the pavement. (3)

7.2 If the effects of air friction are NOT ignored during the fall of the cricket ball, how would
the value you calculated in QUESTION 1.1 change?

Write down HIGHER, LOWER or STAYS THE SAME. (1)

7.3 The cricket ball is in contact with the concrete pavement of 0,8 s.

Ignore the effects of air friction. Take DOWNWARD motion as POSITIVE.

7.3.1 Calculate the impulse of the cricket ball on the pavement. (8)

7.3.2 Calculate the (net) average force exerted by the pavement on the cricket ball. (4)

7.4 The cricket ball is now replaced with a softer ball of similar mass. State how the (net)
average force exerted by the concrete pavement on the softer ball compares with your
answer in QUESTION 7.3.2.

(Write down only GREATER, SMALLER or STAYS THE SAME).

Use physics principles to explain your answer. (3)