To determine the time an object will be in the air when thrown straight up with an initial velocity of 50 m/s, we can use the equations of motion. The initial velocity (u) is 50 m/s, and the acceleration due to gravity (a) is approximately -9.8 m/s^2 (negative because it acts in the opposite direction to the motion).
The equation that relates the final velocity (v), initial velocity (u), acceleration (a), and time (t) is:
v = u + at
In this case, when the object reaches its highest point, the final velocity (v) will be 0 m/s. Thus, we can rewrite the equation as:
0 = 50 - 9.8t
Simplifying the equation:
9.8t = 50
Dividing both sides by 9.8:
t = 50 / 9.8
Calculating the result:
t ≈ 5.10 seconds
Therefore, the object will be in the air for approximately 5.10 seconds before reaching its highest point and descending back down.