Solving for Relative Velocity: Helicopter and Ejected Package Collision

AI Thread Summary
A helicopter flying horizontally at 8.1 m/s ejects a package backward at 13 m/s, creating a relative velocity of 21.1 m/s for the package. To calculate the time it takes for the package to hit the ground from an altitude of 16 m, kinematic equations are used, specifically 16 = 1/2 * 9.8 * t^2. Once the time is determined, the horizontal distance traveled by both the package and the helicopter can be calculated. The final horizontal distance between the package and the helicopter at the moment of impact is the sum of the distances each traveled. The problem illustrates the application of kinematic equations to analyze relative motion in a vertical drop scenario.
mcjohnst
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"A helicopter is flying horizontally at 8.1 m/s and an altitude of 16 m when a package of emergency medical supplies is ejected horizontally backward with a speed of 13 m/s relative to the helicopter. Ignoring air resistance, what is the horizontal distance between the package and the helicopter when the package hits the ground?"

Any help at how to tackle this problem would be appreciated. I know it involves using a string of kinematic equations, but I'm having trouble with the velocity.
 
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Well, if the helicopter were moving 100 m/s relative to Earth and shot the package at the same speed as before (13 m/s relative to itself), how would the distance change?
 
mcjohnst said:
"A helicopter is flying horizontally at 8.1 m/s and an altitude of 16 m when a package of emergency medical supplies is ejected horizontally backward with a speed of 13 m/s relative to the helicopter. Ignoring air resistance, what is the horizontal distance between the package and the helicopter when the package hits the ground?"

Any help at how to tackle this problem would be appreciated. I know it involves using a string of kinematic equations, but I'm having trouble with the velocity.



well its quite simple. ... take the vel of package in the backward hor. dir to b v=8.1+13=21.1m/s
H=16m
16=1/2*9.8*t*t evaluate t from this eqn.
d1=diatance traveled by the package in the hor. dir=v*t
d2=dist. traveled by the helicopter in the hor. dir.=8.1*t
hor. dist. bet the two when the package hits ground=d1+d2.

bye
 
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