Free fall example

You throw a ball straight up. It leaves your hand at 12.0 m/s.

(a) How high does it go?

(b) If, when the ball is on the way down, you catch it at the same height at which you let it go, how long was it in flight?

(c) How fast is it traveling when you catch it?

While the ball is in free fall (just after it leaves your hand until just before you catch it) which of the following describes the ball's acceleration? Neglect air resistance. The ball's acceleration is:

  1. Directed down on the way up, zero at the top, and directed up on the way down (7/67) (10%)
  2. Decreasing in magnitude on the way up, and increasing in magnitude on the way down (20/67) (30%)
  3. Constant the entire time (24/67) (36%)
  4. Constant the entire time except at the very top when it is momentarily equal to zero (16/67) (24%)
















Origin = height at which it leaves your hand

Positive direction = up

yo 0
vo 12 m/s
a -9.8 m/s2