Calculating Time for Sound to Reach Bottom of Mine Shaft

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SUMMARY

In the discussion, participants calculate the total time for a stone dropped into a 122.5 m deep mine shaft to hit the bottom and for the sound of the impact to travel back to the top. The time for the stone to fall is calculated using the kinematics equation, resulting in 5 seconds. The time for sound to travel back up is calculated as approximately 0.35715 seconds. The final total time for Carol to hear the sound after dropping the stone is 5.35715 seconds.

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  • Understanding of basic kinematics equations
  • Knowledge of sound speed in air (approximately 343 m/s)
  • Familiarity with the concept of free fall under gravity
  • Ability to perform basic algebraic calculations
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whitehorsey
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1. Carol drops a stone into a mine shaft 122.5 m deep. How soon after she drops the stone does she hear it hit the bottom of the shaft?



2. d= vt



3. d=vt
t = d/v
= (122.5/343)2
= .7143s
I'm not sure if i multiply by 2 or divide by 2 or just not put a 2 there, but i multiplied because i think the sound hits the bottom then goes back up to where Carol is. So that would double the time?
 
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t = d/v is the time taken by the sound from bottom of the mine to reach Carol. But you have not taken the time required by the stone to travel from Carol to bottom of the mine.
 
rl.bhat said:
t = d/v is the time taken by the sound from bottom of the mine to reach Carol. But you have not taken the time required by the stone to travel from Carol to bottom of the mine.

so i add (122.5/343) to the 0.7143s?
 
whitehorsey said:
so i add (122.5/343) to the 0.7143s?
No. That is not the time. Use kinematics equation to find the time of fall of the stone.
 
rl.bhat said:
No. That is not the time. Use kinematics equation to find the time of fall of the stone.

so i use this eq. d =vit + 1/2at2?
getting t2 = 122.5/.5(9.8)
= 5 s

thus all togther would be 5 + .7143 = 5.7143 s
 
d=vt
t = d/v
= (122.5/343)2
= .7143s

If time is distance divided by velocity, what does the "2" signify when you multiply it in the third line here?
 
whitehorsey said:
so i use this eq. d =vit + 1/2at2?
getting t2 = 122.5/.5(9.8)
= 5 s

thus all togther would be 5 + .7143 = 5.7143 s
No. It should be 5s + 0.35715s
 
rl.bhat said:
No. It should be 5s + 0.35715s

oh i see thank you!
 

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