Final answer:
The height above the top of the pile that the hammer fell is approximately 11.47 meters.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the height above the top of the pile that the hammer fell, we can use the equation for gravitational potential energy:
PE = mgh
Where m is the mass of the hammer, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is the height. Since the hammer is falling, it has potential energy at the top and kinetic energy at the bottom.
At the top, the potential energy is given by:
PEtop = mghtop
At the bottom, the kinetic energy is given by:
KEbottom = 1/2 mv2
Since energy is conserved, we can equate the two:
mghtop = 1/2 mv2
Since the speed of the hammer is given as 15 m/s, we can solve for h:
htop = (1/2) v2 / g
Substituting the given values, we get:
htop = (1/2) (152) / 9.8
htop ≈ 11.47 meters