Calculating the Height of a Flowerpot in Free Fall: A Kinematics Problem

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In summary, the conversation is about a person seeking help with a kinematics free fall question involving a drowsy cat and a flowerpot. They are struggling with too many variables and are unsure of how to approach the problem. A helpful individual suggests simplifying the problem by considering the symmetry of the pot's arc and using the falling body equation of motion to solve for the height above the window. The person is grateful for the assistance and realizes that the time taken for the pot to go up and down is the same in an ideal free fall situation.
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murphy
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The Drowsy Cat - Kinematics!

Can anybody help me get started? I have been working on this problem forever...
A drowsy cat spots a flowerpot that sails first up and then down past an open window. The pot is in view for a total of 0.50s and the top to bottom height of the window is 2.00m. How high above the window does the flowerpot go? The answer is 2.34m but I don't know how to get it, I know that it is a kinematics free fall question but I keep getting too many variables. If anyone knows how to go about answering this, that would be awesome! Thank you!
 
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  • #2
The pot's arc will be symmetrical, that means it will take exactly half the time (0.25 seconds) to travel upwards the 2m. (The second half of the pot's trajectory is irrelevant.) Does that simplify things?
 
  • #3
Yes! Thank you very much. So in these problems, then, can you always assume that the time to go up = the time to come back down? (assuming an ideal free fall situation)
 
  • #4
For an object thrown from the ground, its velocity on the way down will be equal in magnitude but opposite in direction then at the same height on the way up. So yes it will take the same amount of time to pass the window going going up as going down.

If you set up the falling body equation of motion with t=0 and x=0 at the bottom of the window it works out nicly.
 
  • #5
My stars & garters - I helped someone! :-)
 

FAQ: Calculating the Height of a Flowerpot in Free Fall: A Kinematics Problem

What is kinematics?

Kinematics is a branch of physics that studies the motion of objects without considering the forces that cause the motion.

How does kinematics apply to "The Drowsy Cat"?

In "The Drowsy Cat", kinematics can be used to analyze the movement of the cat, such as its speed, acceleration, and displacement.

What is displacement?

Displacement is the distance and direction of an object's change in position from its starting point.

How can kinematics help us understand the behavior of "The Drowsy Cat"?

Kinematics can provide insights into the cat's movements and help us understand why it may be drowsy, such as if it is moving slowly or with irregular motion.

What are some real-world applications of kinematics?

Kinematics is used in various fields such as robotics, biomechanics, and aerospace engineering to understand the movements of objects and improve their design and performance.

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