Question

An engineer is trying to design a runway for an airport. He knows that airplanes have the ability to accelerate at 3.3 m/s ^ 2 and it takes 35 seconds for an airplane to lift off the ground. If his blueprint includes a runway that is 1600 meters in length is it long enough

Answer 1

The proposed 1600 meters runway length is not long enough

Explanation:

The given parameters are;

The amount by which a plane can accelerate = 3.3 m/s²

The time it takes for a plane to lift off the ground = 35 seconds

The length of the runway on the blueprint = 1,600 meters

Therefore, from the equation of motion for distance traveled, s, acceleration, a, and time taken, t, we have;

s = u·t + 1/2·a·t²

Where;

u = The initial velocity

t = 35 seconds

a = 3.3 m/s²

Given that all planes will start motion from rest, we have;

u = 0 m/s

Therefore;

s = 0 × 35 + 1/2 × 3.3 × 35² = 2021.25 meters

Which indicates that the length of the runway a plane would need for take off should be at least 2021.25 meters long, therefore, the blueprint's 1600 meters runway length is not long enough.