Question

Rodney drops a ball from the bridge at an initial height of 220 feet. How many seconds after the ball is released will it hit the ground? Write an equation to model this situation. Solve for time in seconds. Show work

Answer 1

t = √(2d/g); 3.70 s

Explanation:

The formula for the distance (d) travelled by a falling object in time (t) is

d = ½gt²

Multiply each side by 2 2d = gt²

Divide each side by g (2d/g) = t²

Take the square root of each side t = √(2d/g)

Data:

d = 220 ft

g = 32.17 ft·s⁻²

Calculation:

t = √ [(2 × 220)/32.17] = √13.68 = 3.70 s

The ball will hit the ground 3.70 s after it is released.