[morgsboi]

Hello, just checking that this is right before I put it in my extension work. Is this the correct formula to find the velocity of an object falling without counting air resistance?

mgh = 1/2 m^2
divide both sides by m
gh = 1/2 v^2
v = sq (2gh)

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

You forgot a v in your first equation. It should be 1/2 m v^2. But yes, that'll tell you the velocity of an object that has fallen a distance h after being released from rest.

[morgsboi]

Cap, on 1 January 2012 - 03:51 PM, said:

You forgot a v in your first equation. It should be 1/2 m v^2. But yes, that'll tell you the velocity of an object that has fallen a distance h after being released from rest.

Oh yes, so I did. I wrote it down on my notes before I put it on here though. Thanks for the confirmation.

[DrRocket]

morgsboi, on 1 January 2012 - 06:31 PM, said:

Oh yes, so I did. I wrote it down on my notes before I put it on here though. Thanks for the confirmation.

That equation, as corrected, is just an application of conservation of energy.

Note that this is not really mathematics. It is physics.

[morgsboi]

DrRocket, on 12 January 2012 - 02:55 AM, said:

That equation, as corrected, is just an application of conservation of energy.

Note that this is not really mathematics. It is physics.

It's for physics work.

[swansont]

One check you should get in the habit of doing is to look at the units. That doesn't guarantee it's right, but if the units don't match, you know you have made a mistake. (Here, of course, the units are the same because the equation is valid)