Copyright © Michael Richmond.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Question 1:
Spaceman Spiff walks on Planet Q. A hideous slime being drops 8 meters from a tree directly above Spiff. It reaches him in 3 seconds.
What is the gravitational acceleration on Planet Q?
Answer: We know
displacement (y - yo) = -8 m
initial velocity vo = 0 m/s
time interval t = 3 s
So use the kinematic equation
(y - yo) = vo * t + 0.5 * a * t^2
-8 m = 0 + 0.5 * a * (3 s)^2
Solve for acceleration
-8 m
a = ----------
4.5 s^2
= -1.78 m/s^2
Copyright © Michael Richmond.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.