# How to solve for initial velocity

Initial Velocity Calculator

Jun 25,  · For example: An object accelerating east at 10 meters ( ft) per second squared traveled for 12 seconds reaching a final velocity of meters Write the known information: Vi =?, Vf = m/s, a = 10 m/s 2, t = 12 s. 56%(). Initial velocity = u, Final Velocity = v, time taken = t, distance travelled or displacement = s, acceleration = a (4) If final velocity, distance and time are provided then initial velocity is $$u = 2\left (\frac{s}{t} \right)-v$$ Initial Velocity Solved Examples. Below are some problems based on Initial velocity which may be helpful for you.

Last Updated: November 20, References. To create this article, 9 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewedtimes. Learn more Velocity is a function of time and defined by both a magnitude and a direction. There are multiple equations that can be used to determine initial velocity. Using the information given in a problem, you can determine the proper equation to use and easily answer your question.

To find initial velocity, start by multiplying the acceleration by the time. Then, divide that number by 2 and write down the quotient you get. Next, divide the distance by the time and write down that quotient as well. Finally, subtract your first quotient from your second quotient to find the initial velocity. To learn how to find initial velocity using the final velocity, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No. Log how to check fb email id Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers.

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Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Things You'll Need. Related Articles. Article Summary. Method 1 of Know the right equation to use.

In order to solve any physics problem you must know which equation to use. Writing down all of the known information is the first step to finding the right equation. Fill in the known information. Once you have written the known information and determined the proper equation, you can fill in values for the appropriate variables. Carefully setting up each problem and writing out every step of the process is important. If you make a mistake, you can easily find it by looking back at all of your previous steps.

Solve the equation. With all of the numbers in place, use the what age does prostate cancer start order of operations to finish the problem. For example: An object accelerating east at 10 what fish do sharks eat Find the initial velocity of that object.

Without providing information about the direction, you only have a measurement of speed rather than velocity. Method 2 of For example: An object accelerating west at 7 meters Calculate the initial velocity of that object.

Method 3 of For example: An object accelerating north at 5 meters Calculate the object's initial velocity. Method 4 of For example: An object with a final velocity of 3 meters 9. A bullet of 60 gm is fired using a rifle of mass 12kg. Rifle recoils with a velocity of 2. What is the initial velocity? Not Helpful 22 Helpful Initial velocity is 3.

Not Helpful 10 Helpful 6. How do I modify the acceleration formula to one that gives me initial velocity? Not Helpful 9 Helpful 6. Subtract the initial velocity from the final velocity, then divide the result by the time interval. Not Helpful 20 Helpful A ball is thrown upward at an angle of 30 with the horizontal, and lands on the top edge of a building that is 20 meters away. Not Helpful 12 Helpful 5. As soon as you stop, the final velocity is zero. Then, simply count backward to the start and divide by pieRx3.

Not Helpful 40 Helpful 6. How do I calculate the acceleration? The acceleration is how much the velocity of the what can you do to prevent floods changes every second. Not Helpful 2 Helpful 4. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Related wikiHows How to. How to. Co-authors: 9. Updated: November 20, Categories: Classical Mechanics.

Article Summary X To find initial velocity, start by multiplying the acceleration by the time. Deutsch: Die Anfangsgeschwindigkeit berechnen. Bahasa Indonesia: Mencari Kecepatan Awal. Nederlands: Beginsnelheid bepalen. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been readtimes. Did this article help you? Cookies make wikiHow better.

Initial Velocity Formula

First, measure the final velocity of the object. Next, determine the total time that has passed. Next, determine the acceleration acting on the object during that time period. Finally, plug those three values into the formula above to get initial velocity.

Earlier in this unit , the method of vector resolution was discussed. Vector resolution is the method of taking a single vector at an angle and separating it into two perpendicular parts. The two parts of a vector are known as components and describe the influence of that vector in a single direction.

If a projectile is launched at an angle to the horizontal, then the initial velocity of the projectile has both a horizontal and a vertical component. The horizontal velocity component v x describes the influence of the velocity in displacing the projectile horizontally.

The vertical velocity component v y describes the influence of the velocity in displacing the projectile vertically. Thus, the analysis of projectile motion problems begins by using the trigonometric methods discussed earlier to determine the horizontal and vertical components of the initial velocity. These are known as the horizontal and vertical components of the initial velocity. These numerical values were determined by constructing a sketch of the velocity vector with the given direction and then using trigonometric functions to determine the sides of the velocity triangle.

The sketch is shown at the right and the use of trigonometric functions to determine the magnitudes is shown below. If necessary, review this method on an earlier page in this unit. All vector resolution problems can be solved in a similar manner.

As a test of your understanding, utilize trigonometric functions to determine the horizontal and vertical components of the following initial velocity values.

When finished, click the button to check your answers. As mentioned above, the point of resolving an initial velocity vector into its two components is to use the values of these two components to analyze a projectile's motion and determine such parameters as the horizontal displacement, the vertical displacement, the final vertical velocity, the time to reach the peak of the trajectory, the time to fall to the ground, etc.

This process is demonstrated on the remainder of this page. We will begin with the determination of the time. The time for a projectile to rise vertically to its peak as well as the time to fall from the peak is dependent upon vertical motion parameters.

The process of determining the time to rise to the peak is an easy process - provided that you have a solid grasp of the concept of acceleration. When first introduced, it was said that acceleration is the rate at which the velocity of an object changes. An acceleration value indicates the amount of velocity change in a given interval of time. To say that a projectile has a vertical acceleration of For example, if a projectile is moving upwards with a velocity of For such a projectile with an initial vertical velocity of With this notion in mind, it is evident that the time for a projectile to rise to its peak is a matter of dividing the vertical component of the initial velocity v iy by the acceleration of gravity.

Once the time to rise to the peak of the trajectory is known, the total time of flight can be determined. For a projectile that lands at the same height which it started, the total time of flight is twice the time to rise to the peak. Recall from the last section of Lesson 2 that the trajectory of a projectile is symmetrical about the peak. That is, if it takes 4 seconds to rise to the peak, then it will take 4 seconds to fall from the peak; the total time of flight is 8 seconds.

The time of flight of a projectile is twice the time to rise to the peak. The horizontal displacement of a projectile is dependent upon the horizontal component of the initial velocity. As discussed in the previous part of this lesson, the horizontal displacement of a projectile can be determined using the equation. The horizontal displacement is dependent upon the only horizontal parameter that exists for projectiles - the horizontal velocity v ix.

A non-horizontally launched projectile with an initial vertical velocity of The process of rising to the peak is a vertical motion and is again dependent upon vertical motion parameters the initial vertical velocity and the vertical acceleration. The height of the projectile at this peak position can be determined using the equation.

This equation can be successfully used to determine the vertical displacement of the projectile through the first half of its trajectory i. Special attention should be given to the facts that the t in the equation is the time up to the peak and the g has a negative value of Aaron Agin is resolving velocity vectors into horizontal and vertical components.

For each case, evaluate whether Aaron's diagrams are correct or incorrect. If incorrect, explain the problem or make the correction. See Answer A: Aaron is wrong.

If v is upwards and rightwards then v y should be directed upwards. Aaron's is downwards. B: Aaron is wrong. If v is downwards and leftwards then v x should be directed leftwards and v y should be directed downwards. Aaron's components are in the wrong direction.

C: Aaron is wrong. This is a labeling problem. Aaron has labeled the horizontal component as v y and the vertical component as v x. Use trigonometric functions to resolve the following velocity vectors into horizontal and vertical components. Then utilize kinematic equations to calculate the other motion parameters. Be careful with the equations; be guided by the principle that "perpendicular components of motion are independent of each other.

Utilize kinematic equations and projectile motion concepts to fill in the blanks in the following tables. See Answer A: Physics Tutorial. What Can Teachers Do My Cart Subscription Selection. Student Extras. What is a Projectile? Try Some More! We Would Like to Suggest Sometimes it isn't enough to just read about it. You have to interact with it! And that's exactly what you do when you use one of The Physics Classroom's Interactives. We would like to suggest that you combine the reading of this page with the use of our Projectile Motion Simulator.

You can find it in the Physics Interactives section of our website. The simulator allows one to explore projectile motion concepts in an interactive manner. Change a height, change an angle, change a speed, and launch the projectile.

Visit: Projectile Motion Simulator.