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brain is stuck

Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 6:30 pm
by monker
I am trying to figure out something that I thought would be very simple. I am trying to see how much psi it would take to get a ball to 300fps. What I have so far...
ball
m=3.201g
v= 300fps = 91.44m/s

I have calculated the Kintic energy that is required to push that object which is .00047 J. The par that i am stuck at is how much PSI would it take to make .00047 J. Or im I just looking at this thing all wrong?

Re: brain is stuck

Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 7:47 pm
by WontonBurritoMeals
I wonder...

Does PSI make less sense in this problem as pounds per square inch or psi, the catch-all term that paranormal scientists use??

May the wind be always at your back,
-Wonton Burrito Meals

Re: brain is stuck

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 4:48 am
by a bucket
monker wrote:I am trying to see how much psi it would take to get a ball to 300fps.
whut? :shock:

Re: brain is stuck

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 12:51 pm
by monocles
What you're looking for is psi for a length of time. It could theoretically be done with any nonzero psi, given enough time.

Re: brain is stuck

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 2:52 pm
by WontonBurritoMeals
Depending on the surface area of the ball. The only thing I remember from analytical mechanics is that the cross-sectional surface area of a sphere is half the surface area.

May the wind be always at your back,
-Wonton Burrito Meals

Re: brain is stuck

Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 12:04 am
by quizivex
On this forum it's easy to forget that some problems in physics pertain to real physics, as opposed to admission committees lol.
monker wrote:I am trying to figure out something that I thought would be very simple. I am trying to see how much psi it would take to get a ball to 300fps. What I have so far...
ball
m=3.201g
v= 300fps = 91.44m/s
I have calculated the Kintic energy that is required to push that object which is .00047 J. The par that i am stuck at is how much PSI would it take to make .00047 J. Or im I just looking at this thing all wrong?
Huh?
I think you're leaving out information in this problem.

Is this what you meant to say?
"Suppose a ball of mass 3.201g is inflated to a pressure P. A small hole is made in the ball that causes the ball to release air which propels the ball forward. Assuming the ball moves in a straight line, is not affected by gravity and does not interact with the ground, what value of P would be necessary to assure that the final velocity of the ball is 91.44m/s?"
I think this problem could be solved by considering the conservation of energy and momentum of the ball and the air (treated as an ideal gas in the ball). But I'm not sure how to set up the equations. The problem you listed makes no sense as it stands.