Question

A plane is traveling horizontally at a speed u = 40 m/s at a height h =

100m above ground when it drops a package, as shown in the figure.
How long it takes the dropped package to reach the ground and where?

Answer 1

First get the time in the air from

h = gt2/2 ⇒

t = √(2h/g)

Plug in

h = 100 m

g = 9.8 m/s2

and get t in seconds. Then multiply t by the constant horizontal speed.

x = vt

Plug in

v = 40 m/s

t = ? (result from above)

and get x in meters.

(b)

Vertical speed:

v(t) = v0 + gt

Plug in

v0 = 0

g and t from above

and get v(t) in m/s.

(c) It is the same as the initial velocity when released, which is 40 m/s.

(d) The horizontal component is the same as the answer for part (c). The vertical component is the result for part (b), in the downward direction.