[Math] Initial Velocity of a Thrown Rock

physics

Your friend is standing below the window outside of our classroom and attempting to throw a rock past the window to get your attention. The rock is thrown straight up in the air and passes our window 0.40s after being released. It passes the same window on its way back down 1.60s later. What was the initial velocity of the rock? Did the height of the window matter?

Best Answer

Don't know if the question is on-topic for https://math.stackexchange.com/ but the approach will be as follows:

Let initial velocity be $ \vec{u} $ towards the positive y-direction (up). Acceleration due to gravity is $ - \vec{g} $ towards negative y-direction (down).

Use Newton's equations of linear motion:

$$ \begin{align} \vec{v} &= \vec{u} + t * \vec{a} \\ \vec{s} &= t * \vec{u} + \frac{1}{2} t^2 * \vec{a} \\ v^2 &= u^2 + 2 * a * s \end{align} $$


You'll only need the second equation for two different values of $ t $.

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