Calculate acceleration due to gravity

In summary, the conversation discusses the acceleration due to gravity on a different planet, given a stone is thrown horizontally from a cliff with a speed of 10 m/s and takes 4 seconds to hit the ground. Using the equation Δy = v0t + 1/2 at2, the initial vertical velocity is assumed to be 0 and the calculated acceleration is 25 m/s^2. However, the given answer is 5 m/s^2, which may be due to incorrect values or answer keys.
  • #1
rasen58
71
2

Homework Statement


A stone is thrown horizontally from a cliff on a different planet with a speed of 10 m/s. The cliff has height 200m, and takes 4 s to hit the ground. Assume no air friction. What is the acceleration due to gravity on this planet.

Homework Equations


Δy = v0t + 1/2 at2

The Attempt at a Solution


I thought the initial vertical velocity would be 0 since it's thrown horizontally, so the first term of the equation disappears. And they give you t = 4, so I did 200*2/16 = 25 m/s^2.
But apparently the answer is 5 m/s^2.
Why?
 
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  • #2
rasen58 said:
Why?
rasen58 said:
1/2 at2
One half "a" times "t" squared.
 
  • #3
rasen58 said:

Homework Statement


A stone is thrown horizontally from a cliff on a different planet with a speed of 10 m/s. The cliff has height 200m, and takes 4 s to hit the ground. Assume no air friction. What is the acceleration due to gravity on this planet.

Homework Equations


Δy = v0t + 1/2 at2

The Attempt at a Solution


I thought the initial vertical velocity would be 0 since it's thrown horizontally, so the first term of the equation disappears. And they give you t = 4, so I did 200*2/16 = 25 m/s^2.
But apparently the answer is 5 m/s^2.
Why?
Your answer (as well as your analysis) looks good to me !

I agree it's 25 m/s2 .
 
  • #4
Get used to facing problems/exercises in which people have swapped quantities/values to be found from the problem statement for other "given" values, and failed to correct answer keys.
 
  • #5
Okay, so I'm right. Thank you.
 

FAQ: Calculate acceleration due to gravity

What is the formula for calculating acceleration due to gravity?

The formula for calculating acceleration due to gravity is g = G * (m1 + m2) / d^2, where G is the universal gravitational constant, m1 and m2 are the masses of the two objects, and d is the distance between the two objects.

What is the value of acceleration due to gravity on Earth?

The value of acceleration due to gravity on Earth is approximately 9.8 m/s^2. This value may vary slightly depending on location and altitude.

How is acceleration due to gravity related to mass and distance?

The acceleration due to gravity is directly proportional to the product of the two masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This means that as the masses of the objects increase, the acceleration due to gravity will also increase, while increasing the distance between the objects will decrease the acceleration due to gravity.

What is the difference between acceleration due to gravity and gravitational force?

Acceleration due to gravity refers to the acceleration that an object experiences when under the influence of the Earth's gravitational force. On the other hand, gravitational force is the force of attraction between two objects with mass. Acceleration due to gravity is a measure of the strength of this force.

How is acceleration due to gravity different on other planets?

The acceleration due to gravity on other planets can vary depending on their mass and size. For example, the acceleration due to gravity on the surface of Mars is about 3.7 m/s^2, while on the surface of Jupiter it is about 24.8 m/s^2. This means that objects will fall faster on Jupiter compared to Mars due to the stronger gravitational force.

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