Question

A large container contains a large amount of water. A hole is drilled on the wall of the container, at a vertical distance h = 0.54 m below the surface of the water. The water surface drops very slowly and its speed is approximately zero. Keep 2 decimal places in all answers. (a) Find the speed v (in m/s) at which water squirts out of the hole.

Answer 1

Speed can be found through the application of concepts related to potential energy and kinetic energy, for which you have

$KE = PE$

$\frac{1}{2}mv^2 = mgh$

Where,

m = mass

v = Velocity

g = Gravitational acceleration

h = Height

Re-arrange to find the velocity we have,

$v^2 = 2gh$

$v = \sqrt{2gh}$

$v = \sqrt{2(9.8)(0.54)}$

$v = 3.253m/s$

Therefore the speed at which water squirts out of the hole is .3253m/s