Question

An airplane traveling 919 m above the ocean at 505 m/s is to drop a case of twinkies to the victims below. How much time before being directly overhead should the box be dropped? What is the horizontal distance between the plane and the victims when the box is dropped?

Answer 1

Answer:

a. 13.7 s b. 6913.5 m

Explanation:

a. How much time before being directly overhead should the box be dropped?

Since the box falls under gravity we use the equation

y = ut - 1/2gt² where y = height of plane above ocean = 919 m, u = initial vertical velocity of airplane = 0 m/s, g = acceleration due to gravity = -9.8 m/s² and t = time it takes the airplane to be directly overhead.

So,

y = ut - 1/2gt²

y = 0 × t - 1/2gt²

y = 0 - 1/2gt²

y = - 1/2gt²

t² = -2y/g

t = √(-2y/g)

So, t = √(-2 × 919 m/-9.8 m/s²)

t = √(-1838 m/-9.8 m/s²)

t = √(187.551 m²/s²)

t = 13.69 s

t ≅ 13.7 s

So, the box should be dropped 13.69 s before being directly overhead.

b. What is the horizontal distance between the plane and the victims when the box is dropped?

The horizontal distance x between plane and victims, x = speed of plane × time it takes for box to drop = 505 m/s × 13.69 s = 6913.45 m ≅ 6913.5 m