Calculating Time of Impact for Released Ballast Bag in 2D Kinematics

AI Thread Summary
A hot-air balloon rises at 2.4 m/s, releasing a ballast bag from 9.6 m above the ground. The equations of motion are applied to calculate the time until the bag hits the ground, with initial velocity and acceleration considered. The user initially calculated the time as 1.2 seconds but received a wrong answer notification from the website. Further attempts yielded a time of 1.6 seconds, which was also marked incorrect. The discussion highlights potential issues with defining final velocity and the reliability of online answer-checking tools.
sportzmaniac
Messages
6
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



A hot-air balloon is rising straight up with a speed of 2.4 m/s. A ballast bag is released from rest relative to the balloon when it is 9.6 m above the ground. How much time elapses before the ballast bag hits the ground

known data

y direction
vo = 2.4 m/s
a = -9.8m/s
x = -9.6m


Homework Equations



v = vo + at
v-squared = vo-squared + 2ax
x = vot + 1/2a(t-squared)

The Attempt at a Solution



By plugging numbers into v-squared = vo-squared + 2ax, I got v = 13.9 m/s. Then, I plugged that and other data into v = vo + at, adn it came out to 1.17s (or 1.2s). However, I am entering this into a website which tells you whether you are right or wrong. It marked 1.2 wrong, and I only have one more guess. Is 1.17 right, or did I mess this up somehow?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
I'm not sure if you're wrong, sometimes the programming behind those sites can be a bit shady, but it doesn't seem like you defined the final velocity as v=-13.9 m/s, where the initial velocity v = + 2.4 m/s. This will change your final answer.
 
inhere said:
I'm not sure if you're wrong, sometimes the programming behind those sites can be a bit shady, but it doesn't seem like you defined the final velocity as v=-13.9 m/s, where the initial velocity v = + 2.4 m/s. This will change your final answer.

Wow, I messed that up. However, when plugging that into v = vo+ at It came out to 1.66, which I plugged into the site as 1.6s, and it told me that was wrong. Anyone know what I did wrong?
 
I multiplied the values first without the error limit. Got 19.38. rounded it off to 2 significant figures since the given data has 2 significant figures. So = 19. For error I used the above formula. It comes out about 1.48. Now my question is. Should I write the answer as 19±1.5 (rounding 1.48 to 2 significant figures) OR should I write it as 19±1. So in short, should the error have same number of significant figures as the mean value or should it have the same number of decimal places as...
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...
Thread 'A cylinder connected to a hanging mass'
Let's declare that for the cylinder, mass = M = 10 kg Radius = R = 4 m For the wall and the floor, Friction coeff = ##\mu## = 0.5 For the hanging mass, mass = m = 11 kg First, we divide the force according to their respective plane (x and y thing, correct me if I'm wrong) and according to which, cylinder or the hanging mass, they're working on. Force on the hanging mass $$mg - T = ma$$ Force(Cylinder) on y $$N_f + f_w - Mg = 0$$ Force(Cylinder) on x $$T + f_f - N_w = Ma$$ There's also...
Back
Top