Question

Layne throws a rock horizontally, with a velocity of 15 m/s, from a bridge that's 40 m high. How far does the rock travel horizontally before striking the water?

A) 30 meters
B) 60 meters
C) 90 meters
D) 120 meters

Answer 1

The rock horizontally travels 30 meters before striking the water.

Step-by-step explanation:

Rock's Horizontal Travel Distance

In this scenario, the rock is thrown horizontally from a bridge. Since the initial velocity is horizontal, the only force acting on the rock in the horizontal direction is the initial velocity itself. Neglecting air resistance, the horizontal distance the rock travels can be calculated using the equation: Distance = Velocity * Time.

Since the only horizontal force acting on the rock is its initial velocity of 15 m/s, the horizontal distance traveled is equal to 15 m/s * time. We can find the time it takes for the rock to hit the water using the equation for free-fall time: Time = sqrt(2 * height / g). Substituting the given values, we get the time as 2 seconds. Therefore, the horizontal distance traveled by the rock is 15 m/s * 2 s = 30 meters.