Why would you throw like that?

Standing on a building 80 m 80\text{m} high, I threw a stone vertically upwards at a velocity of 20 m/s 20\text{m/s} . Then find the time(in seconds) it takes to reach the ground.


Details and assumption:-

  • Take g \text{g} (acceleration due to gravity) as 10 m/s 2 10{\text{m/s}}^2 .
  • Give your answer to two decimal places.


The answer is 6.47.

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2 solutions

Ashish Menon
Jun 15, 2016

Lets first calculate the time the stone takes to reach up.
v = u + at 0 = 20 10 t 10 t = 20 t = 2 \begin{aligned} \text{v} & = \text{u + at}\\ 0 & = 20 - 10\text{t}\\ -10\text{t} & = -20\\ \text{t} & = 2 \end{aligned}

So, the stone takes the same time to reach from the top to the level of the building's top(where I was standing).

Now, let us calculate the time it takes to reach from the top of the building to the ground.
S = ut + 1 2 at 2 80 = 20 t + 1 2 × 10 + t 2 80 = 20 t + 5 t 2 5 t 2 + 20 t 80 = 0 t 2 + 4 t 16 = 0 Using quadratic formula : t = 4 ± 4 2 4 × 1 × 16 2 × 1 t = 4 ± 80 2 t = 4 + 4 5 2 ( or ) 4 4 5 2 But, time cannot be negative, so : t = 2 + 2 5 So, total time = 2 + 2 5 + 2 + 2 = 2 5 + 2 = 2 ( 5 + 1 ) = 2 × 3.23 6.47 \begin{aligned} \text{S} & = \text{ut} + \dfrac{1}{2}{\text{at}}^2\\ \\ 80 & = 20\text{t} + \dfrac{1}{2}×10+{\text{t}}^2\\ \\ 80 & = 20\text{t} + 5{\text{t}}^2\\ \\ 5{\text{t}}^2 + 20\text{t} - 80 & = 0\\ \\ {\text{t}}^2 + 4\text{t} - 16 & = 0\\ \\ \text{Using quadratic formula}:-\\ \\ \text{t} & = \dfrac{-4 \pm \sqrt{4^2 - 4×1×-16}}{2×1}\\ \\ \text{t} & = \dfrac{-4 \pm \sqrt{80}}{2}\\ \\ \text{t} & = \dfrac{-4 + 4\sqrt{5}}{2} \left(\text{or}\right) \dfrac{-4 - 4\sqrt{5}}{2}\\ \\ \text{But, time cannot be negative, so}:-\\ \\ \text{t} & = -2 + 2\sqrt{5}\\ \\ \text{So, total time} & = -2 + 2\sqrt{5} + 2 + 2\\ \\ & = 2\sqrt{5} + 2\\ \\ & = 2\left(\sqrt{5} + 1\right)\\ \\ & = 2× 3.23\\ \\ & \approx \color{#3D99F6}{\boxed{6.47}} \end{aligned}

See my solution for a shorter approach.

Akshat Sharda - 5 years ago

Nice question & a nice solution.!+1!

Rishabh Tiwari - 5 years ago

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Thanks! :) :)

Ashish Menon - 5 years ago

This was Easy @Ashish Siva bhai

Md Zuhair - 4 years, 10 months ago

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Said this because generally u give tough sums.

Md Zuhair - 4 years, 10 months ago

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Hehe, lol, maybe. I like sometimes switching between hard and easy sums :P

Ashish Menon - 4 years, 9 months ago
Akshat Sharda
Jun 15, 2016

We can directly apply the 2 nd 2^{\text{nd}} equation of motion,

s = u t + 1 2 a t 2 80 = 20 t + 5 t 2 t = 2 ± 2 5 s=ut+\frac{1}{2}at^2 \\ 80=-20t+5t^2 \\ t=2±2\sqrt{5}

I took vertically downward direction as + ve +\text{ve} and upward as ve -\text{ve} .

As time can't be negative, t = 2 + 2 5 6.47 t=2+2\sqrt{5}\sim \boxed{6.47}

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