Question

In an attempt to impress its friends, an acrobatic beetle runs and jumps off the bottom step of a flight of stairs. The step is 20 cm tall, and the beetle jumps with an initial velocity of 1.5m/s at an angle of 20∘ above the horizontal. How far from the base of the step does the beetle land on the ground?

Answer 1

Answer:

0.3677181864 m

Explanation:

u = Velocity = 1.5 m/s

$\theta$ = Angle = 20°

y = -20 cm

Velocity components

$u_x=ucos\theta\\\Rightarrow u_x=1.5cos20\\\Rightarrow u_x=1.40953\ m/s$

$u_y=usin\theta\\\Rightarrow u_y=1.5sin20\\\Rightarrow u_y=0.51303\ m/s$

Acceleration components

$a_x=0$

$a_y=-9.81\ m/s^2$

$y=u_yt+\dfrac{1}{2}a_yt^2\\\Rightarrow -0.2=0.51303\times t+\dfrac{1}{2}\times -9.81t^2\\\Rightarrow 4.905t^2-0.51303t-0.2=0$

$t=\frac{-\left(-0.51303\right)+\sqrt{\left(-0.51303\right)^2-4\cdot \:4.905\left(-0.2\right)}}{2\cdot \:4.905}, \frac{-\left(-0.51303\right)-\sqrt{\left(-0.51303\right)^2-4\cdot \:4.905\left(-0.2\right)}}{2\cdot \:4.905}\\\Rightarrow t=0.26088, -0.15629$

Time taken is 0.26088 seconds

$x=u_xt+\dfrac{1}{2}a_xt^2\\\Rightarrow x=1.40953\times 0.26088\\\Rightarrow x=0.3677181864\ m$

The distance the beetle travels on the ground is 0.3677181864 m