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Ch 06: Dynamics I: Motion Along a Line
Chapter 6, Problem 6

Compressed air is used to fire a 50 g ball vertically upward from a 1.0-m-tall tube. The air exerts an upward force of 2.0 N on the ball as long as it is in the tube. How high does the ball go above the top of the tube? Neglect air resistance.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Newton's Second Law of Motion

Newton's Second Law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. This principle is crucial for understanding how the upward force from the compressed air affects the ball's motion. In this scenario, the net force can be calculated by subtracting the weight of the ball from the applied force, allowing us to determine the ball's acceleration.
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Kinematic Equations

Kinematic equations describe the motion of objects under constant acceleration. They relate displacement, initial velocity, final velocity, acceleration, and time. In this problem, we can use these equations to calculate how high the ball rises after being propelled by the force of the compressed air, taking into account the initial conditions and the acceleration derived from Newton's Second Law.
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Conservation of Energy

The principle of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another. In this context, the work done by the upward force from the compressed air converts into gravitational potential energy as the ball rises. By equating the work done on the ball to the potential energy at its highest point, we can find the maximum height the ball reaches above the tube.
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