Question

A catapult launches a test rocket vertically upward from a well, giving the rocket an initial speed of 79.6 m/s at ground level. The engines then fire, and the rocket accelerates upward at 4.10 m/s2 until it reaches an altitude of 1190 m. At that point its engines fail, and the rocket goes into free fall, with an acceleration of −9.80 m/s2. (You will need to consider the motion while the engine is operating and the free-fall motion separately.) (a) For what time interval is the rocket in motion above the ground

Answer 1

The rocket is motion above the ground for 44.7 s.

Step-by-step explanation:

The equations for the height of the rocket are as follows:

y = y0 + v0 · t + 1/2 · a · t²

and, after the engine fails:

y = y0 + v0 · t + 1/2 · g · t²

Where:

y = height of the rocket at time t

y0 = initial height

v0 = initial speed

t= time

a = acceleration due to the engines

g = acceleration due to gravity

First, let´s calculate the time the rocket is being accelerated by the engines:

(The center of the framer of reference is located at the ground, y0 = 0).

y = y0 + v0 · t + 1/2 · a · t²

1190 m = 0 m + 79.6 m/s · t + 1/2 · 4.10 m/s² · t²

0 = 2.05 m/s² · t² + 79.6 m/s · t - 1190 m

Solving the quadratic equation:

t = 11.5 s (the other value of t is discarded because it is negative).

At that time, the engines fail and the rocket starts to fall. The equation of the height will be:

y = y0 + v0 · t + 1/2 · g · t²

The initial velocity (v0) will be the velocity acquired during 11.5 s of acceleration plus the initial velocity of launch:

v = v0 + a · t

v = 79.6 m/s + 4.10 m/s² · 11.5 s

v = 126.8 m/s

Now, we can calculate the time it takes the rocket to reach the ground (y = 0) from a height of 1190 m:

y = y0 + v0 · t + 1/2 · g · t²

0 m = 1190 m + 126.8 m/s · t - 1/2 · 9.80 m/s² · t²

Solving the quadratic equation:

t = 33.2 s

Then, the total time the rocket is in motion is (33.2 s + 11.5 s) 44.7 s