Final answer:
The subject in question is Physics, specifically projectile motion and relative velocities in the context of buoys being dropped from a moving airplane. High School level physics concepts are used to calculate the time of descent and horizontal travel of the buoys before impacting the water.
Step-by-step explanation:
The scenario described involves principles of projectile motion and relative velocity, which are key concepts in physics. When the scientist drops buoys from a moving plane, the buoys have an initial horizontal velocity equal to that of the plane. As the buoys fall, their vertical motion is affected by gravity, while their horizontal motion remains constant (assuming no air resistance). Therefore, to an observer in the plane, the buoys would appear to fall straight down. However, to an observer on the ground, the buoys would follow a projectile path and land some distance away from the drop point, determined by the initial horizontal velocity of the plane and the time it takes for the buoys to reach the ocean surface.
Calculating the final position of the buoys relative to the drop point involves applying kinematic equations for projectile motion. Using the given heights and distances, along with the acceleration due to gravity, one can find the time of descent for the buoys and the distance they will travel horizontally before hitting the water. This application exemplifies the need to consider motions in two dimensions and use vector addition to understand the relative motion between the buoys and the frame of reference of both the plane and an observer on the ground.