Question

If Karl drops a 20 kg weight from a height of 333 meters and measures its final velocity as 56 m/s immediately before it strikes the surface of the planet, what is the rate of acceleration due to gravity on Planet C12-6?

Answer 1

The rate of acceleration due to gravity on Planet C12-6 can be calculated using the kinematic equation for constant acceleration. By substituting the final velocity, initial velocity, and the height from which the weight was dropped into the equation, it was determined that the acceleration due to gravity on Planet C12-6 is 4.71 m/s².

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the rate of acceleration due to gravity on Planet C12-6, we can use the following kinematic equation:

v² = u² + 2as,

where v is the final velocity, u is the initial velocity, a is the acceleration, and s is the displacement (height from which the weight is dropped).

Here, u = 0 m/s (since the weight starts at rest), v = 56 m/s (final velocity before striking the surface), and s = 333 m (the height from which the weight is dropped).

Plugging these values into the equation, we get:

56² = 0² + 2 * a * 333,

3136 = 2 * a * 333,

a = 3136 / (2 * 333) = 3136 / 666 = 4.71 m/s².

Therefore, the rate of acceleration due to gravity on Planet C12-6 is 4.71 m/s².