Question

One way to measure g on another planet or moon by remote sensing is to measure how long it takes an object to fall a given distance. A lander vehicle on a distant planet records the fact that it takes 3.17 s for a ball to fall freely 11.26 m, starting from rest.

a. What is the acceleration due to gravity on that planet?
b. How fast is the ball moving just as it lands in m/s?

Answer 1

a)
`a=2.24m/s^(2)`

b)
`v(t)=7.1m/s`

Step-by-step explanation:

We use the kinematics equations:

`v(t)=v_(o)+g*t=g*t` starting from rest

`y(t)=v_(o)t+1/2*a*t^(2)=1/2*a*t^{2`

`a=2*y/t^(2)=2*11.26/3.17^(2)=2.24m/s^(2)`

We find now the speed

`v(t)=a*t=2.24*3.17=7.1m/s`