Question

As a science project, you drop a watermelon off the top of the Empire State Building. 320 m above the sidewalk. It so happens that Superman flies by at the instant you release the watermelon. Superman is headed straight down with a constant speed of 30 m/s. A) How much time passes before the watermelon has the same velocity? B) How fast is the watermelon going when it passes Superman?C) How fast is the watermelon traveling when it hits the ground?

Answer 1

3.06 seconds time passes before the watermelon has the same velocity

watermelon going at speed 59.9 m/s

watermelon traveling when it hits the ground at speed is 79.19 m/s

Step-by-step explanation:

given data

height = 320 m

speed = 30 m/s

to find out

How much time passes before the watermelon has the same velocity and How fast is the watermelon going and How fast is the watermelon traveling

solution

we will use here equation of motion that is

v = u + at ....................1

here v is velocity 30 m/s and u is initial speed i.e zero and a is acceleration i.e 9.8 m/s²

put the value and find time t

30 = 0 + 9.8 (t)

t = 3.06 s

so 3.06 seconds time passes before the watermelon has the same velocity

and

we know superman cover distance is = velocity × time

so distance = 30 × t

and distance formula for watermelon is

distance = ut + 0.5×a×t² .............2

here u is initial speed i.e 0 and a is acceleration i.e 9.8 m/s² and h is 30 × t

30 × t = 0 + 0.5×9.8×t²

t = 6.12 s

so by equation 1

v = u + at

v = 0 + 9.8 ( 6.12)

v = 59.9 m/s

so watermelon going at speed 59.9 m/s

and

watermelon traveling speed formula is by equation of motion

v² - u² = 2as ......................3

here v is speed and u is initial speed i.e 0 and a is acceleration i.e 9.8 m/s² and s is distance i.e 320 m

v² - 0 = 2(9.8) 320

v = 79.19 m/s

so watermelon traveling when it hits the ground at speed is 79.19 m/s