Calculating the Height of a Building Using Free Fall Time

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SUMMARY

The height of a building can be calculated using the formula y = 1/2at², where 'a' is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s²) and 't' is the time in seconds. In this case, a stone dropped from the top of the building takes 2.9 seconds to hit the ground. By substituting the values into the equation, the height is determined to be 41.2 meters. This calculation assumes the stone is dropped from rest, which is a standard assumption in physics problems of this nature.

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Homework Statement


A stone dropped from the top of a building hits the ground in 2.9 s. How high is the building?

a=9.8 m/s^2
yinitial=0
vinital=0
y=?

Homework Equations


y=1/2at^2



The Attempt at a Solution


y=1/2at^2

Plugging in what I know:
y=1/2(9.8m/s^2)(2.9s)^2
Simplifying:y=1/2(82.4) m
Answer: y=41.2 m

Is this correct? Thanks in advance for confirming! :-)
 
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Looks correct to me. That is, assuming it is dropped from rest. It doesn't explicitly say, but I think it this case it is a safe assumption.
 
Thank you! I believe it is, my physics teacher usually assumes so.
 

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