I don't get this question help me please?

[jojo14]

An astronaut on a newly discovered planet wants to determine the acceleration due to gravity. In his experiment, he fires a small cannon from the edge of a mesa that is 125m high. The initial horizontal velocity of the cannon ball is 64m/s. The projectile travels 261m horizontally before it strikes the surface of the planet. After determining the acceleration due to gravity, what might the astronaut conclude about this planet?

answer: Ag=15.03m/s^2

i don't get it at all, help please,

and thanks!

 

[thaer_dude]

You have the initial horizontal velocity, and the distance traveled horizontally. Using your equations, you should be able to find the time it takes for the ball to hit the ground.

You have all the information you need now. For the vertical "part" of this problem, you know what distance must be traveled vertically before the ball hits the ground, you know the initial vertical velocity and you know the time it takes for the ball to hit the ground. Using your equations, you can then solve for the acceleration due to gravity.

 

[kerimek]

I can understand the confusion and will gladly help you understand the question. In this experiment, the astronaut is using a small cannon to determine the acceleration due to gravity on the newly discovered planet. The cannon is fired from the edge of a mesa that is 125m high, with an initial horizontal velocity of 64m/s. The projectile travels 261m horizontally before hitting the surface of the planet. By using the formula for projectile motion, we can calculate that the acceleration due to gravity on this planet is 15.03m/s^2.

This means that objects on this planet will fall towards the surface at a rate of 15.03m/s^2. The astronaut can conclude that this planet has a stronger gravitational pull compared to Earth, as the acceleration due to gravity on Earth is 9.8m/s^2. This could mean that the planet is larger or more dense than Earth, or it could have a different composition that affects its gravitational pull.

I hope this explanation helps you understand the question and the implications of the experiment. Science can be complex, but with curiosity and persistence, we can uncover the mysteries of the universe. Keep exploring and asking questions!