Hancock” – Kinematics

In this virtual Lab will practice and review kinematics and motion with constant acceleration. You will use as motivational tool a clip from movie “Hancock” which you can see directly from youtube or via a link in Module 2: One dimensional motion at Canvas. The youtube link is attached:

In the scene Hancock throws a bully in the air and after some time he falls back on the ground where Hancock catches him to safety. Assume that the motion is one dimensional along the y axis. Neglect friction and assume that the bully’s motion is affected only by gravity.

Choose an appropriate coordinate system (aka frame of reference) with the appropriate positive direction. Place the origin (the zero) at a convenient point.

Write down the bully’s initial conditions, that is his coordinate and velocity at t=0. If you don’t know any of these it will be an unknown variable and use a letter to designate it.

Think about and decide what kind of motion is this. Then write down the equations describing the motion. Plug into these equations the initial conditions of the bully and use these equations to find:

What was the bully’s initial speed when launched by Hancock? Express the speed in meters per second and miles per hour (mph).

What was the bully’s maximum height?

What is the bully’s speed when he reaches the ground for a second time? Compare his final speed with his initial speed.

The film does not give us a lot of information but you can measure the flight time that is the time from the moment the bully left Hancock’s hand (t=0) until the time he returned back to the initial point and Hancock grabbed him. You can use your watch to measure it or you can use the timer shown at the video clip. Then you can use this time in the equations of motion you get the answers at the first 2 questions. You can use in your calculations g = 10 m/s2 for simplicity.

Since you know the bully’s arrival time and you have already found his initial velocity you can use these values at one of the kinematical equations describing the motion and you can find the bully’s final velocity when he reaches the ground once more.

Write all your thoughts and calculations in your lab report and submit one report per student.