Question

Unreasonable results. A raindrop falls from a cloud 100 m above the ground. Neglect air resistance. What is the speed of the raindrop when it hits the ground? Is this a reasonable number?

a) 140 m/s, No
b) 50 m/s, No
c) 70 m/s, Yes
d) 100 m/s, Yes

Answer 1

The speed of the raindrop when it hits the ground is approximately 44.2 m/s. This is a reasonable number as it falls within the expected range for the speed of a falling object.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the speed of the raindrop when it hits the ground, we can use the equation of motion:

v² = u² + 2as

Here, v represents the final velocity, u represents the initial velocity (which is 0 in this case, as the raindrop starts from rest), a represents the acceleration (which is due to gravity, equal to 9.8 m/s²), and s represents the distance traveled (which is the height of the cloud, 100 m).

Plugging in the values:
v² = 0² + 2(9.8)(100)

v² = 2 * 9.8 * 100

v² = 1960

Taking the square root of both sides:
v = √1960 ≈ 44.2 m/s

Therefore, the correct answer is b) 50 m/s, No. This is a reasonable number as it falls within the expected range for the speed of a falling object.