Problem 1: A football is kicked at an angle of 30 degrees above the horizontal at ground level with a
velocity of 27 m/s.
a) Draw the football’s parabola.
b) Include velocity vectors at several points on the parabola including the initial time and the
apex. What is the acceleration along the path? (answer = -9.8 m/s/s)
c) How long did it take the football to reach the apex? (answer = 1.4 sec)
d) What is the total time it takes for the football to travel along its path (hang time)?(answer = 2.8 sec)
e) What is the velocity vector 1 sec into its path? (answers: v = 23.7 m/s, ș = 9º)
f) What is the velocity vector 2 seconds into its path? (answers: v = 24.2 m/s, ș = -14.6º)
g) How far horizontally did the football travel? (answer = 65.5 m)
h) What was the football’s maximum height? (answer = 9.3 m
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Problem 2: Trailing by two points, and with only 2 seconds remaining in a basketball game, a player
makes a jump-shot at an angle of 60 degrees above the horizontal, giving the ball an overall velocity of
10 m/s. The ball is released at the height of the basket, 3.05 meters above the floor. Yes, it’s a score!
a)
How much time is left in the game when the basket is made? (answer = approx 0.2 sec)
b) Shots made from outside a semicircle of 6.02 meters from a spot directly beneath the basket are
awarded 3 points, while those inside score 2 points. Did the player tie the game or put her team
ahead? (answer 8.8 m > 6.02 m. ahead)
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Problem 3: Emanuel Zacchini, the famous human cannonball of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum &
Bailey Circus, was fired out of a cannon with a speed of 24 m/s at an angle of 40 degrees to the
horizontal. If he landed in a net 56.6 meters away at the same height at which he was fired, how long
was Zacchini in the air? (answer = 3.1 sec)
Problem 4:
A world record motorcycle jump occurred on August 31, 1986, when Chris Bromham took off on his
Yamaha and jumped a horizontal distance of 74 m across a row of cars. Assuming he started and
landed at the same level and was airborne for 1.3 seconds, what was the maximum height that this
daredevil achieved (apex height)? (answer = 2.07 m)
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