- #1
ColtonCM
- 33
- 2
Homework Statement
Direct problem statement: Imagine you are playing with a Ping-Pong ball in a swimming pool. You push the ball down to a depth of 1 m below the surface, then release it. How high above the water surface will the ball shoot as it emerges from the water? Assume the ball has a density of 0.25 that of water. You can neglect any drag force as well as any transfer of energy to the splashing and waves produced by the emerging ball.
Given variables: 1m below the surface. The density of the ball is 0.25(density of water).
Homework Equations
Total pressure = pressure above surface + (density)(g)(h)
Maybe Archimedes' Principle? Buoyant force = (mass of water displaced)(g)
Maybe Bernoulli's Equation? p + 1/2(density)(v^2) + (density)(g)(h)
The Attempt at a Solution
I'm struggling with setting this problem up. I'm thinking that if I can calculate the buoyant force, that will go a long way to figuring out how high above the water the ball will travel, but I'm not sure how to determine that force when I"m not given the mass of the ping-pong ball. I can't calculate its mass from its density because I'm not given the volume that the ball occupies or the volume of water in the pool. I suppose Bernoulli's equation could give me a constant, but I'm not sure how that would factor into this question. Any help with getting me started on this problem would be appreciated. If I can get my foot in the door I'm pretty sure the rest will follow easily.