Question

Q11) If you were standing at the top of a building and you dropped a rock.
you noticed that the rock took 5.2 s to hit the ground. Find the total
distance the rock traveled and the speed when the rock hit the ground.

Answer 1

Answer:

Part A

The distance travel by the rock is approximately 132.496 m

Part B

The speed when the rock hits the ground is approximately 50.96 m/s

Explanation:

Part A

The question is focused on the kinetics equation of a free falling object

The given parameter is the time it takes the rock to hit the ground, t = 5.2 s

For an object in free fall, we have;

h = 1/2·g·t²

Where;

h = The height from which the object is dropped

g = The acceleration due to gravity ≈ 9.8 m/s²

t = The time taken to travel the distance, h = 5.2 s

∴ h = 1/2 × 9.8 m/s² × (5.2 s)² ≈ 132.496 m

The distance travel by the rock, h ≈ 132.496 m

Part B

The speed, 'v', when the rock hits the ground, is given by the following kinematic equation,

v = g·t

∴ v = 9.8 m/s² × 5.2 s = 50.96 m/s

The speed when the rock hits the ground, v ≈ 50.96 m/s.