Aball is thrown straight upward from the surface of the moon. is the maximum height it reaches less than, equal to, or greater than the maximum height reached by a ball thrown upward on earth with the same initial speed? (ignore air resistance in both cases.) explain.

greater

Explanation:

Let the initial velocity is u .

Acceleration due to gravity on earth, ge = g

Acceleration due to gravity on moon, gm = g / 6

Let the maximum height reached on earth is h and the maximum height reached on the moon is h'.

Use third equation of motion

At maximum height, the final velocity = 0.

For earth

0 = u^2 - 2 gh

h = u^2 / 2g ..... (1)

For moon

0 = u^2 - 2 g/6 x h'

h' = 6u^2 /  2g = 6 h     (From (1)

So, the maximum height reached at moon is 6 times the maximum height reached at earth.

The maximum height it reaches on the Moon is greater than the maximum height reached on the Earth.

Acceleration is rate of change of velocity.

a = acceleration ( m/s² )

v = final velocity ( m/s )

u = initial velocity ( m/s )

t = time taken ( s )

d = distance ( m )

Let us now tackle the problem!

We will use following formula to solve this problem:

From above formula , we can conclude that the maximum height is inversely proportional to the gravitational acceleration.

Gravitation acceleration on the moon is less that gravitational acceleration on the earth. Therefore , the maximum height it reaches on the Moon is greater than the maximum height reached on the Earth.

Grade: High School

Subject: Physics

Chapter: Kinematics

Keywords: Velocity , Driver , Car , Deceleration , Acceleration , Obstacle , Projectile , Motion , Horizontal , Vertical , Release , Point , Ball , Wall