Final answer:
To find the velocity of the parachutist at a given time, use the equation v = vo + at, where v is the final velocity, vo is the initial velocity (which is zero), a is the acceleration (in this case, the acceleration due to gravity), and t is the time.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the velocity of the parachutist at a time of t seconds, we can use the equation v = vo + at, where v is the final velocity, vo is the initial velocity (which is zero), a is the acceleration (in this case, the acceleration due to gravity), and t is the time. Assuming the positive direction is downward, we have v = 0 + (-9.8 m/s²)(t) = -9.8t m/s.
For example, if t = 2.0 s, we can substitute that value into the equation to find the velocity: v = -9.8(2.0) = -19.6 m/s. So, the velocity of the parachutist 2.0 s after jumping from the plane would be -19.6 m/s.