Ignoring air resistance, use an energy argument to find the speed of a ball when it hits the ground if it is dropped from 50m, where m is the mass of the ball.

Original energy: GPE=509.81m KE=0 Final energy: GPE=0 KE=(1/2)mv2 Therefore (1/2)mv= 50m9.81 . The m cancels and simplifying the equation we are left with v2 = 5029.81, therefore v = 31 ms-1

ZT
Answered by Zach T. Physics tutor

2658 Views

See similar Physics A Level tutors

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

A phone is knocked off a table 800cm of the ground. If the phone is 650g a) what is the gravational potential of the phone? b)what speed will the phone hit the floor at? c)How long will it take for the phone to hit the floor?


A golf ball is hit at angle θ to the horizontal, with initial velocity u. Stating an assumption, show that the horizontal distance travelled by the ball is directly proportional to u^2.


Explain why a jet fighter pilot experiences "weightlessness" when at the top of a loop-the-loop manoeuvre.


What is simple harmonic motion?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning