Physics Talk

Please take note of any important topics or vocabulary.

Checking Up
Thoughtfully respond to the following checking up questions. Reference the text
whenever needed. Do not copy the text, respond only in your own words.
1. A pen and a ruler are dropped from the same height at the same time,
they will reach the ground at the same time. Gravity affects everything the same,
no matter the mass or weight. If someone dropped a boulder and a bowling ball
from the same height, even they would hit the ground at the same time. It seems
hard to accept, but gravity is constant, and consistently uses the same force.
2. When something is dropped straight down, the ball will not have a
constant velocity. The ball will accelerate, gaining more speed the closer it
becomes to the ground. In the beginning of the unit, you could see in the drawing
that the distances between each penny that is dropped was increasing, showing
a increase in velocity.
3. When the ball is at its highest point, the velocity is 0 m/s. In this
millisecond, the ball is at a standstill, because in that moment the force of gravity
and the force of the throw are the same, and they are balancing each other out,
holding the ball in place. The acceleration would still be -10 m/s.

What do you think now?

At the beginning of the section, you were asked the following:
What determines how far an object thrown into the air travels before landing?
How would you answer this question now?
There are many variables that help determine the distance an object travels before it
hits the ground after being thrown. There are two kinds of factors, positive factors and
negative factors. The more powerful/the higher the positive factor, then the ball will
travel farther, rather than if the negative factors are stronger, then the ball will land
sooner. Some positive factors are the upward force of the throw, the aerodynamic of the
object, and the trajectory of the throw. Things like gravity, wind resistance, and friction
all oppose the force of the throw, and are negative factors. The power of the throw is
what makes the ball move at all, but if the power is not very strong, then the ball will not
travel far. As the upward velocity of the throw increases, as does the acceleration of the
ball, therefore creating the ball to travel through the air longer. It all depends on how
long the strength of the throw is stronger than the strength of the opposing forces.

Essential Questions

Please respond to the following:

From the Mythbusters video provide evidence concerning projectiles launched
horizontally at varying velocities and dropped from the same height landing at the same
time. What theory supports this?
The Mythbusters proved that something dropped and something launched from the
same height will still hit the ground at the same time. They started small, using a little
metal marble and a small launcher. When they hit the ground at the same time, it was
easy to believe their theory, it seemed reasonable. But as they started to go larger
scale, with real guns and real bullets, it became harder to believe. When both bullets hit
the ground at essentially the same time, it showed that it does not matter the horizontal
force, it will not affect the power of gravity and the vertical force.

Physics to Go
Respond to the following questions, show your work on all calculations.
1.

5. Gravity is a constant, so it will affect everything equally. No matter how fast the pitch
is going, its velocity has no effect on when it will hit the ground if the ball is traveling
straight with no upwards velocity. The velocity only affects how far the ball travels before
gravity brings it to the ground. The pennies hit the ground at the same time, so why
would the baseball pitch be any different. Anything that is dropped/thrown/hit/whatever

from the same height will hit the ground at the same time unless other variables
interfere.

6. Ok this question is sort of confusing me. But I am going to try. Basically, even if
something is moving forward and upward it will still reach the same height as if it was
just moving upward. The fact that the ball is also moving forward does not affect its
height, or the effects that gravity has on it. The ball will land in the person's hand after
the same amount of time if they are just tossing it straight up or if they are giving it
forwards velocity.
When a person is walking with a person who is moving while tossing the ball, the ball
looks like it is just going straight up and down. But as people get farther away, the see
the arc the ball is travelling in, so the ball can keep up with the person tossing it.

8.

11. Ken is at the pitchers plate, winding up for the pitch. With a mean look, he snaps
his elbow in, and his wrist out, throwing a wicked pitch The ball accelerates quickly, and
then slows down and even appears to be trapped in the air, before taking a deep dive
towards the ground with high acceleration. Impossible! The ball doesnt hit the ground,
but instead swerves left, then right, HOW IS THIS HAPPENING??? The ball now is
gaining acceleration, it goes faster and faster, bouncing around in front of the pitchers
mound. There is no possible way that Ken could have made this happen.... there
appears to be some sort of magic involved. Aside from this, Barbie stands at home
plate, calm and ready. Her pink bat is at the ready, and her perfect pink and white outfit
looks surprisingly smooth and unreal. The ball has finally finished it's crazy course and
is now heading towards Barbie, accelerating at an impossible rate. CRASH!!! Barbie
makes steady contact with the ball, and dang I think that just burst my eardrum or
something. The ball is moving high and fast, accelerating faster and faster, a tiny dot in
the sky. AND ITS OUT OF THE PARK!! The ball disappears into the horizon with a
cartoonish wink. Well this has been an interesting game.

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