Question

A 7600 kg rocket blasts off vertically from the launch pad with a constant upward acceleration of 2.35 m/s2 and feels no appreciable air resistance. When it has reached a height of 595 m, its engines suddenly fail so that the only force acting on it is now gravity.

A) What is the maximum height this rocket will reach above the launch pad?
B) How much time after engine failure will elapse before the rocket comes crashing down to the launch pad?

Answer 1

a) The rocket reaches a maximum height of 737.577 meters.

b) The rocket will come crashing down approximately 17.655 seconds after engine failure.

Step-by-step explanation:

a) Let suppose that rocket accelerates uniformly in the two stages. First, rocket is accelerates due to engine and second, it is decelerated by gravity.

1st Stage - Engine

Given that initial velocity, acceleration and travelled distance are known, we determine final velocity (
`v`), measured in meters per second, by using this kinematic equation:

`v = \sqrt{v_(o)^(2) +2\cdot a\cdot \Delta s}` (1)

Where:

`a` - Acceleration, measured in meters per square second.

`\Delta s` - Travelled distance, measured in meters.

`v_(o)` - Initial velocity, measured in meters per second.

If we know that
`v_(o) = 0\,(m)/(s)`,
`a = 2.35\,(m)/(s^(2))` and
`\Delta s = 595\,m`, the final velocity of the rocket is:

`v = \sqrt{\left(0\,(m)/(s) \right)^(2)+2\cdot \left(2.35\,(m)/(s^(2)) \right)\cdot (595\,m)}`

`v\approx 52.882\,(m)/(s)`

The time associated with this launch (
`t`), measured in seconds, is:

`t = (v-v_(o))/(a)`

`t = (52.882\,(m)/(s)-0\,(m)/(s))/(2.35\,(m)/(s) )`

`t = 22.503\,s`

2nd Stage - Gravity

The rocket reaches its maximum height when final velocity is zero:

`v^(2) = v_(o)^(2) + 2\cdot a\cdot (s-s_(o))` (2)

Where:

`v_(o)` - Initial speed, measured in meters per second.

`v` - Final speed, measured in meters per second.

`a` - Gravitational acceleration, measured in meters per square second.

`s_(o)` - Initial height, measured in meters.

`s` - Final height, measured in meters.

If we know that
`v_(o) = 52.882\,(m)/(s)`,
`v = 0\,(m)/(s)`,
`a = -9.807\,(m)/(s^(2))` and
`s_(o) = 595\,m`, then the maximum height reached by the rocket is:

`v^(2) -v_(o)^(2) = 2\cdot a\cdot (s-s_(o))`

`s-s_(o) = (v^(2)-v_(o)^(2))/(2\cdot a)`

`s = s_(o) + (v^(2)-v_(o)^(2))/(2\cdot a)`

`s = 595\,m + (\left(0\,(m)/(s) \right)^(2)-\left(52.882\,(m)/(s) \right)^(2))/(2\cdot \left(-9.807\,(m)/(s^(2)) \right))`

`s = 737.577\,m`

The rocket reaches a maximum height of 737.577 meters.

b) The time needed for the rocket to crash down to the launch pad is determined by the following kinematic equation:

`s = s_(o) + v_(o)\cdot t +(1)/(2)\cdot a \cdot t^(2)` (2)

Where:

`s_(o)` - Initial height, measured in meters.

`s` - Final height, measured in meters.

`v_(o)` - Initial speed, measured in meters per second.

`a` - Gravitational acceleration, measured in meters per square second.

`t` - Time, measured in seconds.

If we know that
`s_(o) = 595\,m`,
`v_(o) = 52.882\,(m)/(s)`,
`s = 0\,m` and
`a = -9.807\,(m)/(s^(2))`, then the time needed by the rocket is:

`0\,m = 595\,m + \left(52.882\,(m)/(s) \right)\cdot t + (1)/(2)\cdot \left(-9.807\,(m)/(s^(2)) \right)\cdot t^(2)`

`-4.904\cdot t^(2)+52.882\cdot t +595 = 0`

Then, we solve this polynomial by Quadratic Formula:

`t_(1)\approx 17.655\,s`,
`t_(2) \approx -6.872\,s`

Only the first root is solution that is physically reasonable. Hence, the rocket will come crashing down approximately 17.655 seconds after engine failure.