Grade 12 Physical Sciences · Mechanics · Projectile from a moving balloon or lift

Projectile from a moving balloon or lift Grade 12

Use the velocity of the balloon or lift as the object's initial velocity (adding any throw velocity), then solve its vertical motion, for example a stone dropped from a balloon rising at 5\ m/s first moves up at 5\ m/s.

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Question 3.2 · September 2026 · Paper 1 · Provincial · 4 marks

A helicopter, with a group of tourists, takes off vertically upwards at a constant velocity of

8

m·s

^{- 1}

. After reaching a height of

80

m above the ground, a tourist accidently drops his camera. Diagram for this question

3.2 Calculate the maximum height reached by the camera above the ground after it is dropped.(4)

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More questions: projectile from a moving balloon or lift

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3. Question 3.3.1 · May/June 2024 · Paper 1 · National (DBE) · 3 marks
A hot-air balloon moves vertically downwards at a constant velocity of $3, 4$ m·s $^{- 1}$ . When the balloon is $15$ m above the ground, a small ball is dropped from the balloon. Refer to the diagram below.

The ball strikes the ground and bounces vertically upwards. The hot-air balloon continues to move downwards at the same constant velocity.

Ignore the effects of air friction acting on the ball.
3.3 Use only EQUATIONS OF MOTION to calculate:
3.3.1 The value of $t_{1}$ indicated on the graph(3)
Show the memo (3 ticks)Memo
1. ✓
  Formula with $Δ t$ Downwards as positive:
  $Δ y = v_{i} Δ t + \frac{1}{2} a Δ t^{2}$
  1 mark · Use equations of motion for projectiles
2. ✓
  Substitution $15 = 3, 4Δ t + \frac{1}{2} (9, 8) Δ t^{2}$
  1 mark · Projectile from a moving balloon or lift
3. ✓
  Final answer $Δ t = 1, 44$ s, so $t_{1} = 1, 44$ s
  1 mark · Use equations of motion for projectiles
4. Practice · NavyBlue · 4 marks
A hot-air balloon rises vertically at a constant velocity of $6$ m·s $^{- 1}$ . When the balloon is $50$ m above the ground, a sandbag is released from it. Ignore air resistance. Take upwards as positive.
(3) Calculate the time the sandbag takes to reach the ground.(4)
Show the memo (4 ticks)Memo
1. ✓
  Formula $Δ y = v_{i} Δ t + \frac{1}{2} a Δ t^{2}$
  1 mark · Projectile from a moving balloon or lift
2. ✓
  Substitution $- 50 = 6Δ t + \frac{1}{2} (- 9, 8) Δ t^{2}$
  1 mark · Projectile from a moving balloon or lift
3. ✓
  Quadratic in standard form $4, 9Δ t^{2} - 6Δ t - 50 = 0$
  1 mark · Projectile from a moving balloon or lift
4. ✓
  Answer with unit $Δ t = 3, 87$ s
  1 mark · Projectile from a moving balloon or lift
5. Practice · Siyavula Grade 12 Physical Sciences · Ex 3.1 · 4 marks
A tourist takes a trip in a hot air balloon. The hot air balloon is ascending (moving up) at a velocity of $4$ m·s $^{- 1}$ vertically upwards. He accidentally drops his camera over the side of the balloon's basket, at a height of $20$ m. Calculate the velocity with which the camera hits the ground. Ignore air resistance.(4)
Show the memo (4 ticks)Memo
1. ✓
  Initial velocity of the cameraTake upwards as positive. The camera leaves with the balloon's velocity: $v_{i} = + 4$ m·s $^{- 1}$ .
  1 mark · Projectile from a moving balloon or lift
2. ✓
  Formula $v_{f}^{2} = v_{i}^{2} + 2 a Δ y$
  1 mark · Projectile from a moving balloon or lift
3. ✓
  Substitution $v_{f}^{2} = (4)^{2} + 2 (- 9, 8) (- 20)$
  1 mark · Projectile from a moving balloon or lift
4. ✓
  Answer with unit and direction $v_{f}^{2} = 408$ , $v_{f} = 20, 20$ m·s $^{- 1}$ downwards
  1 mark · Projectile from a moving balloon or lift
Question adapted from Siyavula Education (CC BY 3.0) · Solution by NavyBlue
6. Practice · NavyBlue · 2 marks
A hot-air balloon is moving vertically DOWNWARDS at a constant $3$ m·s $^{- 1}$ . When it is $40$ m above the ground, a passenger throws a ball vertically upwards so that the ball leaves the basket at $10$ m·s $^{- 1}$ upwards RELATIVE TO THE BALLOON. Ignore air resistance.
(1) Calculate the velocity of the ball relative to the ground at the moment it is released.(2)
Show the memo (2 ticks)Memo
1. ✓
  Add the velocitiesTake upwards as positive: $v_{i} = 10 + (- 3)$
  1 mark · Projectile from a moving balloon or lift
2. ✓
  Answer with direction $v_{i} = 7$ m·s $^{- 1}$ upwards
  1 mark · Projectile from a moving balloon or lift

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