How Fast Was the Car Going When It Flew Off the Cliff?

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SUMMARY

The problem involves calculating the horizontal speed of a car that drove off a 32.7 m high cliff and landed 153 m away from the base. The time taken for the car to fall can be determined using the formula for free fall, which is derived from the equation of motion under gravity. The car's horizontal speed can then be calculated by dividing the horizontal distance by the time of fall. The final speed is expressed in kilometers per hour (km/h).

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physics concepts, specifically free fall and projectile motion.
  • Familiarity with kinematic equations, particularly those related to vertical and horizontal motion.
  • Ability to perform unit conversions, especially from meters per second to kilometers per hour.
  • Basic algebra skills for solving equations.
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the kinematic equations for projectile motion in detail.
  • Learn how to calculate the time of free fall using the formula \( t = \sqrt{\frac{2h}{g}} \), where \( h \) is height and \( g \) is acceleration due to gravity.
  • Practice problems involving horizontal motion and free fall to reinforce understanding.
  • Explore real-world applications of projectile motion in physics and engineering contexts.
USEFUL FOR

Students studying physics, educators teaching mechanics, and anyone interested in understanding the principles of motion and gravity in real-world scenarios.

avenue
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I have a HW problem that says:

A car drives horizontally off the edge of a cliff that is 32.7 m high. The police at the scene of the accident note that the point of impact is 153 m from the base of the cliff. How fast (in terms of km/h) was the car traveling when it drove off the cliff?

I've worked it out like 10 times. I only have one more chance to get it wrong on my online homework.

Someone please help... :cry:
jejewitt@yahoo.com
 
Physics news on Phys.org
How much time did the car have to fall?
If the car is traveling at a constnat speed horizontally and it traveled 153m, how fast was it traveling in that amount of time?
 

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