Final answer:
The ferryman should position the boat horizontally at a distance of 10.59 meters from the point directly below the point of release to catch the parcel.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking for the horizontal distance at which a ferryboat should be positioned to catch a parcel released from an ocean liner moving at a speed of 10 meters/second. To solve this, we need to calculate the time it takes for the parcel to fall from a height of 5.5 meters to the ferryboat's deck, ignoring air resistance. We can use the formula for the time of fall in free fall motion t = √(2h/g), where h is the height and g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s2).
Once we find the time t, we multiply it by the horizontal speed of the ocean liner to find the distance.Distance = speed × time. Now, let's calculate:
- Time of fall: t = √(2 × 5.5 / 9.8) ≈ √(11 / 9.8) ≈ √(1.122) ≈ 1.059 seconds
- Distance: Distance = 10 m/s × 1.059 s ≈ 10.59 meters
Therefore, the ferryman should position the boat horizontally 10.59 meters from the point directly below the point of release to catch the parcel.