Question

Barack is playing basketball in his back yard. He takes a shot 7.0 m from the basket (measured along the ground), shooting at an angle of 45 degrees. The ball is 2.0 m off the ground when it leaves his hand, and hits the backboard 3.5 m off the ground. Neglecting air friction, about how long is the ball in flight?

Answer 1

Answer:

The time of flight of the ball is 1.06 seconds.

Explanation:

Given $\Delta x=7\ m$

$\theta=45 \°$

Also, $\Delta y=(3.5-2)=1.5\ m$

$a_x=0\ and\ a_y=-9.81\ m/s^2$

Let us say the velocity in the x-direction is $v_x$ and in the y-direction is $v_y$. And acceleration in the x-direction is $a_x$ and in the y-direction is $a_y$.

Also, $\Delta x\ and\ \Delta y$ is distance covered in x and y direction respectively. And $t$ is the time taken by the ball to hit the backboard.

We can write $v_x=v_0cos(45)\ and\ v_y=v_0sin(45)$. Where $v_0$ is velocity of ball.

Now,

$\Delta x=v_x\times t+\frac{1}{2}\times a_x\times t^2\\ \Delta x=v_x\times t+\frac{1}{2}\times 0\times t^2\\\Delta x=v_xt$

$\Delta x=v_0cos(45)\times t\\7=v_0cos(45)\times t\\\\t=\frac{7}{v_0cos(45)}$

Also,

$\Delta y=v_y\times t+\frac{1}{2}\times a_y\times t^2\\ 1.5=v_0sin(45)\times \frac{7}{v_0cos(45)}+\frac{1}{2}\times (-9.81)\times(\frac{7}{v_0cos(45)} )^2\\\\1.5=7-\frac{481}{(v_0)^2}\\ \\\frac{481}{(v_0)^2}=5.5\\\\(v_0)^2=\frac{481}{5.5}\\ \\(v_0)^2=87.45\\\\v_0=\sqrt{87.45}=9.35\ m/s$.

Plugging this value in

$t=\frac{7}{v_0cos(45)}\\ \\t=\frac{7}{9.35\times 0.707}\\ \\t=\frac{7}{6.611}$

$t=1.06\ seconds$

So, the time of flight of the ball is 1.06 seconds.