# Homework Help: Projectile Motion of a capsule

1. Dec 17, 2007

### cosie

ok i'm completely lost in physics! i did this and it looks so simple but i'm not sure if i'm doing it right. could someone help me out and tell me if my methods are correct. thanks!

a plane drops a rescue capsule from an altitude of 8500 m.

how long does it take for the capsule to fall to earth, assuming air resistance is negligible?

y=1/2gt^2
8500=1/2(9.8)(t^2)
t=41.64

what is the vertical component of the rescue capsule's velocity when it hits the ground.
Vy=g(t)
=(9.8) 41.64
=408.072

2. Dec 17, 2007

### Tedjn

You're correct, but make sure to include your units. Also, remember that the vertical component is a vector, so you should include the unit vector j (by convention), and it would be negative if you define up to be positive (if you define down to be positive, then your answer would be right as it is).

3. Dec 17, 2007

### Hootenanny

Staff Emeritus
Be sure to round correctly, t = 41.649.... (and give correct units as Tedjn says).