What is the Acceleration of a Dropped Shell?

[Brit412]

Homework Statement

A glaucous-winged gull, ascending straight upward at 5.10 m/s drops a shell when it is 11.5m above the ground. What is the magnitude of the shell's acceleration just after it is released?

Homework Equations

The only equation that I can think of would be v^2= v(i) + 2a (x-x(0)) because I have no time value

The Attempt at a Solution

Using this equation I got an answer of 1.13 m/s^2, but on my hw, it claims it's incorrect. So help please!

 

[Dschumanji]

This sounds like one of those questions where the book is trying to trick you into thinking the problem needs more work than is necessary.

Before the bird let's go of the shell it has zero acceleration since it is moving up at a constant speed with the bird. When the bird let's go of the shell it enters free fall. That should give you your answer.

 

[Brit412]

Thanks, you were right. But question, how am I supposed to find the maximum height? Apparently it's not 11.5m, so how would I start approaching the problem?

 

[Dschumanji]

Use the constant acceleration formulas. In fact there is one formula that relates all the variables you have to part of the answer you are looking for; it doesn't involve time.