morgsboi Posted January 1, 2012 Posted January 1, 2012 Hello, just checking that this is right before I put it in my extension work. Is this the correct formula to find the velocity of an object falling without counting air resistance? mgh = 1/2 m^2 divide both sides by m gh = 1/2 v^2 v = sq (2gh)
Cap'n Refsmmat Posted January 1, 2012 Posted January 1, 2012 You forgot a v in your first equation. It should be 1/2 m v^2. But yes, that'll tell you the velocity of an object that has fallen a distance h after being released from rest.
morgsboi Posted January 1, 2012 Author Posted January 1, 2012 You forgot a v in your first equation. It should be 1/2 m v^2. But yes, that'll tell you the velocity of an object that has fallen a distance h after being released from rest. Oh yes, so I did. I wrote it down on my notes before I put it on here though. Thanks for the confirmation.
DrRocket Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 Oh yes, so I did. I wrote it down on my notes before I put it on here though. Thanks for the confirmation. That equation, as corrected, is just an application of conservation of energy. Note that this is not really mathematics. It is physics.
morgsboi Posted January 12, 2012 Author Posted January 12, 2012 That equation, as corrected, is just an application of conservation of energy. Note that this is not really mathematics. It is physics. It's for physics work.
swansont Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 One check you should get in the habit of doing is to look at the units. That doesn't guarantee it's right, but if the units don't match, you know you have made a mistake. (Here, of course, the units are the same because the equation is valid)
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now