Question

A pilot drops a package from a plane flying horizontally at a speed of 100 m/s along a straight line. Two seconds later, while maintaining that speed, the pilot drops a second package. What can you determine from the given information?

a) Both packages will fall at the same rate.
b) The second package will catch up to the first package.
c) The packages will land at different distances.
d) The speed of the plane affects the fall of the packages.

Answer 1

The first package is dropped, followed by the second package 2 seconds later. Both packages fall at the same rate, but the second package will land at a further distance.

Step-by-step explanation:

The given information allows us to conclude that:

1. Both packages will fall at the same rate. When dropped from the same height and in the absence of any other forces (such as air resistance), all objects will experience the same acceleration due to gravity, which is approximately 9.8 m/s² on Earth. Therefore, both packages will fall at the same rate.
2. The packages will land at different distances. The distance each package travels horizontally will depend on the time of release. Since the second package was dropped 2 seconds later than the first, it will have traveled further horizontally by the time it reaches the ground compared to the first package.