A rock dropped from an airplane falls for 13.6 seconds before hitting the ground. How far above the ground was the airplane when the rock was dropped?
To determine the height of the rock from the ground when it was dropped, we can use the equations of motion. The formula to calculate the height of an object in free fall is:
h = (1/2) * g * t^2
Where:
h = height (distance)
g = acceleration due to gravity (which is approximately 9.8 m/s^2 on Earth)
t = time of fall
In this case, we are given that the rock falls for 13.6 seconds (t = 13.6 s). Plugging the values into the formula:
h = (1/2) * 9.8 * (13.6)^2
h = 0.5 * 9.8 * 184.96
h ≈ 902.848 meters
Therefore, when the rock was dropped, the airplane was approximately 902.848 meters above the ground.