Bouncing and multi-stage motion

Real problems chain several stages together — thrown up, falling, bouncing.

• Split the motion into stages and treat each with its own vi, vf and Δt.
• The final velocity of one stage becomes the initial velocity of the next.
• A bounce reverses the direction of velocity and usually reduces its magnitude.
• Total time is the sum of the stage times.

• Stage — a portion of motion with consistent conditions.