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A penny dropped into a wishing well reaches the bottom in 1.50 seconds.

A. What was the velocity at impact?
B. How deep is the well?

User Meikiem
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

Using the equations of motion under gravity, the velocity of the penny at impact is found to be approximately 14.715 m/s, and the depth of the well is approximately 11.04 meters.

Step-by-step explanation:

To answer the student's question about the penny dropped into a wishing well, we need to use physics principles related to gravity and motion. Part A asks for the velocity at impact, and Part B requires us to calculate the depth of the well:

  • Velocity at impact: We know that objects accelerate at 9.81 m/s² due to gravity when in free fall. The formula for the velocity of an object in free fall is v = g * t, where "v" is the final velocity, "g" is the acceleration due to gravity, and "t" is the time it takes to fall. Plugging in our values, we get v = 9.81 m/s² * 1.50 s = 14.715 m/s.
  • Depth of the well: The distance an object travels in free fall can be found using the formula d = (1/2) * g * t², where "d" is the distance. Using the given time, the calculation is d = (1/2) * 9.81 m/s² * (1.50 s)² = 11.03775 m, which we can round to 11.04 m for the depth of the well.

So the velocity at impact is approximately 14.715 m/s, and the depth of the well is roughly 11.04 meters.

User Quetcy
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