Final answer:
Using the kinematic equations for projectile motion, the final angle below the horizontal of the velocity of the puck just before it hits the ground is calculated to be 31.8° based on the given height of the fall and the initial horizontal velocity.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the angle below the horizontal of the velocity of the puck just before it hits the ground, we can use the kinematic equations for projectile motion. Considering that the puck experiences no air resistance, its horizontal velocity component remains constant at 23.2 m/s, and the vertical velocity component increases due to gravity (9.81 m/s2). First, we calculate the time it takes for the puck to fall 2.00 m using the vertical motion equation:
h = v0yt + (1/2)gt2
Since the puck slides off the table, the initial vertical velocity v0y is 0, so the equation simplifies to:
h = (1/2)gt2
Solving for t, we get:
t = sqrt((2h)/g)
Now that we have the time of fall, we can find the vertical velocity component just before impact using:
vy = gt
Finally, the angle θ can be calculated using the vertical and horizontal components:
tan(θ) = vy/vx
Plugging in the values:
θ = arctan(vy/vx)
After performing the calculations with the given numbers, we find that the angle is 31.8° below the horizontal just before the puck hits the ground. Therefore, the correct answer is 31.8°.