Question

Raindrops are falling straight down at 11 m/s when suddenly the wind starts blowing horizontally at a brisk 5.0 m/s. From your point of view, the rain is now coming down at an angle. What is the angle, relative to the vertical?

Answer 1

Answer: 24.4 degrees to the vertical

Explanation:

Vertical component of raindrop speed = 11m/s

Horizontal component of wind = 5m/s

In this case, all we have to do is to use trigonometric ratios of angles to sides as in a triangle

Doing this, we see that

tan (theta) = 5/11

(Where theta is the angle made with the vertical by the rain after impact)

Tan being opposite/adjacent

Arc sin (5/11) gives us 24.44 degrees to the vertical