Solving Tough Question: Alaskan Rescue Plane Drops Emergency Rations

[yankee]

**tough question

An alaskan rescue plane traveling 40 m/s drops a package of emergency rations from a height of 171 m to a stranded party of explorers.
The acceleration of gravity is 9.8m/s^2
Where does the package strike the ground relative to the pt driectly below where it was released?

ok so i tried this problem a bunch of times and my answer keeps coming up incorrect. What formulas should I use?

 

[arildno]

Well, what law must ALWAYS hold, whatever (classical) mechanics problem you've got?

 

[kyle8921]

To solve this problem, you will need to use the kinematic equations for projectile motion. The first step is to identify the known values: initial velocity (40 m/s), initial height (171 m), and acceleration due to gravity (-9.8 m/s^2). Then, you can use the equation y = y0 + v0t + 1/2at^2 to find the vertical position of the package at any given time (t).

To answer the question of where the package strikes the ground relative to the point directly below where it was released, you will need to find the time it takes for the package to reach the ground. This can be done by setting the equation equal to zero and solving for t. Once you have the time, you can plug it back into the equation to find the vertical position of the package at impact.

It is also important to note that the package will have a horizontal velocity of 40 m/s throughout its motion, so you can use this to find the horizontal distance it travels before hitting the ground. This will give you the answer to the question in terms of distance.

Remember to pay attention to units and use the appropriate equations for projectile motion. With careful calculation and double checking your work, you should be able to solve this tough question. Keep in mind that practice makes perfect, so don't get discouraged if it takes a few tries to get the correct answer.