Question

A stone is dropped into a river from a bridge at a height h above the water. Another stone is thrown vertically down at a time t after the first is dropped. Both stones strike the water at the same time. What is the initial speed of the second stone? Give your answer in terms of the given variables and g. -g

Answer 1

Answer:

$v_{y_0} = \frac{\frac{g}{2}t(t - 2\sqrt{\frac{2h}{g}})}{\sqrt{\frac{2h}{g}} - t}$

Explanation:

We will apply the equations of kinematics to both stones separately.

First stone:

Let us denote the time spent after the second stone is thrown as 'T'.

$y - y_0 = v_{y_0}(t+T) + \frac{1}{2}a(t+T)^2\\0 - h = 0 + \frac{1}{2}(-g)(t+T)^2\\(t+T)^2 = \frac{2h}{g}\\T = \sqrt{\frac{2h}{g}}-t$

Second stone:

$y - y_0 = v_{y_0}T + \frac{1}{2}aT^2\\0 - h = v_{y_0}T -\frac{1}{2}gT^2\\-h = v_{y_0}(\sqrt{\frac{2h}{g}} - t) - \frac{g}{2}(\sqrt{\frac{2h}{g}} - t)^2\\-h = v_{y_0}(\sqrt{\frac{2h}{g}} - t) - \frac{g}{2}(\frac{2h}{g} + t^2 - 2t\sqrt{\frac{2h}{g}})\\-h = v_{y_0}\sqrt{\frac{2h}{g}} - v_{y_0}t - h -\frac{g}{2}t^2 + gt\sqrt{\frac{2h}{g}}\\v_{y_0}(\sqrt{\frac{2h}{g}} - t) = \frac{g}{2}t^2 - gt\sqrt{\frac{2h}{g}}\\v_{y_0} = \frac{\frac{g}{2}t(t - 2\sqrt{\frac{2h}{g}})}{\sqrt{\frac{2h}{g}} - t}$

Answer 2

Find the solution in the attached picture