Apparent Height in a Swimming Pool

  • Thread starter Thread starter rmcgovern
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Height Swimming
AI Thread Summary
A swimmer 0.95 m below the water surface sees an image of a diving board 6.00 m above them due to refraction. The relevant equation for this problem involves the refractive indices and distances from the surface. The swimmer calculated the image distance incorrectly, leading to an incorrect final height of the diving board. The correct approach involves recognizing that the 6.00 m includes both the image distance and the swimmer's depth. Clarification on the variables and their meanings is essential for solving the problem accurately.
rmcgovern
Messages
8
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


A person swimming 0.95 m below the surface of the water in a swimming pool looks at the diving board that is directly overhead and sees the image of the board that is formed by refraction at the surface of the water. This image is a height of 6.00 m above the swimmer. What is the actual height of the diving board above the surface of the water?


Homework Equations


(na/s)+(nb/s')=0


The Attempt at a Solution


Rearranging the equation, I found s'=(nb*s)/-na. Plugging in nb=1.00, s=6.00m, and na=1.33, I found s'=-4.51, adding the depth of the swimmer, my final solution was -3.56m. This however is not correct. I also tried solving for s (which was actually my first attempt, although masteringphysics says the variable to solve for is s') to no avail. Any suggestions on where I may have gone wrong?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
s is not the image distance from the surface of the water. 6.0 m is the sum of the image distance and the depth of the swimmer.
 
ah, thank you for your help
 
Thread 'Collision of a bullet on a rod-string system: query'
In this question, I have a question. I am NOT trying to solve it, but it is just a conceptual question. Consider the point on the rod, which connects the string and the rod. My question: just before and after the collision, is ANGULAR momentum CONSERVED about this point? Lets call the point which connects the string and rod as P. Why am I asking this? : it is clear from the scenario that the point of concern, which connects the string and the rod, moves in a circular path due to the string...
Back
Top