3 Physics Questions Please Help


1. Which will hit the ground FASTER (greater ), a pencil that is dropped from the top of the table ( = 0) or a pencil that rolls of the edge of the table ( > 0)? (Assume the table is level and both pencils leave the table at the same instant.)

a. The pencil that rolls off the table will hit faster.

b. The pencil that is dropped will hit faster.

c. Both will hit at the same speed.

d. Can’t tell without knowing how fast the second pencil was rolling.


2. You are throwing a water balloon as hard as you can off the top of the bleachers. You want the balloon to hit the ground with as great a velocity as possible. Which of these actions will help the hit the ground fastest—that is, with greatest ?

a. Throwing the balloon UP at any angle of θ with an initial velocity vmax.

b. Throwing the balloon DOWN at the opposite angle (-θ) with the same initial velocity vmax.

c. Both of these options—choices (a) and (b)—will yield the same .

d. Cannot compare these options without knowing angle θ.


3. Batman, hanging from the top of a low building, sees a criminal a long-distance away pointing a gun over his head at him. (The gun has no sighting tool, and the criminal does not know physics.) Assume Batman reacts just as the criminal fires the gun. (Which of the following should Batman NOT do? Circle any/all BAD MOVES.

a. Stay where he is and hope the criminal will miss.

b. Retract his grapple and hope to dodge the bullet by quickly shooting upward.

c. Let go of the building and hope to dodge the bullet by falling downward.

d. Push off the building and hope to dodge the bullet by moving sideways.

Check: did you see the word NOT in the question?