Help Finding Average Acceleration

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NASA's 2.2-second drop tower allows experimental packages to be dropped, with calculations needed for drop distance, impact speed, and stopping acceleration. The drop distance calculated is approximately 23.74 meters, and the impact speed upon hitting the airbags is about 21.58 m/s. For the stopping acceleration, the discussion highlights the need to determine the stopping time and suggests using standard SUVAT equations to solve the problem. Participants emphasize the importance of understanding the relationship between distance, initial and final velocities, and acceleration. The conversation centers around clarifying the application of physics formulas to find the average stopping acceleration.
theintarnets
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Homework Statement


NASA operates a 2.2 second drop tower at the Glenn Research Center in Ohio, where experimental packages are dropped from the top of the tower.
a) What is the drop distance of a 2.2 s tower?
b) How fast are the experiments traveling when they hit the airbags at the bottom of the tower?
c) If the experimental package comes to rest over a distance of .75 m upon hitting the airbags, what is the average stopping acceleration?


The Attempt at a Solution


I'm pretty sure I've got a & b correct, but I'm not sure how to go about solving part c. Can someone help me please?

a) What is the drop distance of a 2.2 s tower?
x = 1/2*gt2 = .5*9.81*2.22 = 23.74 m

b) How fast are the experiments traveling when they hit the airbags at the bottom of the tower?
v = gt = 9.81 * 2.2 = 21.582 m/s

c) If the experimental package comes to rest over a distance of .75 m upon hitting the airbags, what is the average stopping acceleration?
I think one formula for acceleration is Δv/Δt but I'm not sure how to use that in this case...
 
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theintarnets said:

Homework Statement


NASA operates a 2.2 second drop tower at the Glenn Research Center in Ohio, where experimental packages are dropped from the top of the tower.
a) What is the drop distance of a 2.2 s tower?
b) How fast are the experiments traveling when they hit the airbags at the bottom of the tower?
c) If the experimental package comes to rest over a distance of .75 m upon hitting the airbags, what is the average stopping acceleration?


The Attempt at a Solution


I'm pretty sure I've got a & b correct, but I'm not sure how to go about solving part c. Can someone help me please?

a) What is the drop distance of a 2.2 s tower?
x = 1/2*gt2 = .5*9.81*2.22 = 23.74 m

b) How fast are the experiments traveling when they hit the airbags at the bottom of the tower?
v = gt = 9.81 * 2.2 = 21.582 m/s

c) If the experimental package comes to rest over a distance of .75 m upon hitting the airbags, what is the average stopping acceleration?
I think one formula for acceleration is Δv/Δt but I'm not sure how to use that in this case...

It's worth trying to commit the suvat equations to memory:
s = length, u = initial speed, v = final speed ... a and t you can probably guess!

v = u + at
s = ut + 0.5 at2
s = 0.5(u+v)t
v2 = u2 + 2as
s = vt - 0.5 at2
 
theintarnets said:

Homework Statement


NASA operates a 2.2 second drop tower at the Glenn Research Center in Ohio, where experimental packages are dropped from the top of the tower.
a) What is the drop distance of a 2.2 s tower?
b) How fast are the experiments traveling when they hit the airbags at the bottom of the tower?
c) If the experimental package comes to rest over a distance of .75 m upon hitting the airbags, what is the average stopping acceleration?


The Attempt at a Solution


I'm pretty sure I've got a & b correct, but I'm not sure how to go about solving part c. Can someone help me please?

a) What is the drop distance of a 2.2 s tower?
x = 1/2*gt2 = .5*9.81*2.22 = 23.74 m

b) How fast are the experiments traveling when they hit the airbags at the bottom of the tower?
v = gt = 9.81 * 2.2 = 21.582 m/s

c) If the experimental package comes to rest over a distance of .75 m upon hitting the airbags, what is the average stopping acceleration?
I think one formula for acceleration is Δv/Δt but I'm not sure how to use that in this case...

You need to determine the stopping time.
 
For question (c) its energy problem. Refer to problem(b)
 
sacscale said:
You need to determine the stopping time.

azizlwl said:
For question (c) its energy problem. Refer to problem(b)

The distance, initial and final velocities are known. Does this situation not seem to be simply covered by one of the standard suvat equations?
 
NemoReally said:
The distance, initial and final velocities are known. Does this situation not seem to be simply covered by one of the standard suvat equations?

Indeed, but the OP seemed to have trouble determining which one.
 
The book claims the answer is that all the magnitudes are the same because "the gravitational force on the penguin is the same". I'm having trouble understanding this. I thought the buoyant force was equal to the weight of the fluid displaced. Weight depends on mass which depends on density. Therefore, due to the differing densities the buoyant force will be different in each case? Is this incorrect?

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