Question

A dolphin in an aquatic show jumps straight up out of the water at a velocity of 15.0 m/s. (a) List the knowns in this problem. (b) How high does his body rise above the water? To solve this part, first note that the final velocity is now a known, and identify its value. Then, identify the unknown and discuss how you chose the appropriate equation to solve for it. After choosing the equation, show your steps in solving for the unknown, checking units, and discuss whether the answer is reasonable. (c) How long a time is the dolphin in the air? Neglect any effects resulting from his size or orientation.

Answer 1

Answer:

a)

Y0 = 0 m

Vy0 = 15 m/s

ay = -9.81 m/s^2

b) 7.71 m

c) 3.06 s

Explanation:

The knowns are that the initial vertical speed (at t = 0 s) is 15 m/s upwards. Also at that time the dolphin is coming out of the water, so its initial position is 0 m. And since we can safely assume this happens in Earth, the acceleration is the acceleration of gravity, which is 9.81 m/s^2 pointing downwards

Y(0) = 0 m

Vy(0) = 15 m/s

ay = -9.81 m/s^2 (negative because it points down)

Since acceleration is constant we can use the equation for uniformly accelerated movement:

Y(t) = Y0 + Vy0 * t + 1/2 * a * t^2

To find the highest point we do the first time derivative (this is the speed:

V(t) = Vy0 + a * t

We equate this to zero

0 = Vy0 + a * t

0 = 15 - 9.81 * t

15 = 9.81 * t

t = 0.654 s

At this time it will have a height of:

Y(0.654) = 0 + 15 * 0.654 - 1/2 * 9.81 * 0.654^2 = 7.71 m

The doplhin jumps and falls back into the water, when it falls again it position will be 0 again. So we can equate the position to zero to find how long it was in the air knowing that it started the jump at t = 0s.

0 = Y0 + Vy0 * t + 1/2 * a * t^2

0 = 0 + 15 * t - 1/2 * 9.81 t^2

0 = 15 * t - 4.9 * t^2

0 = t * (15 - 4.9 * t)

t1 = 0 This is the moment it jumped into the air

0 = 15 - 4.9 * t2

15 = 4.9 * t2

t2 = 3.06 s This is the moment when it falls again.

3.06 - 0 = 3.06 s