The Secret Behind Stunt Car's Flying Ability
When a stunt car travels at a certain speed and flies horizontally off a cliff, it follows a projectile motion trajectory influenced by gravity. The horizontal distance it lands from the base of the cliff is a result of its initial velocity and the time it takes to reach the ground.
In the given scenario, the stunt car had an initial velocity of 20 m/s and landed 39.2 m from the base of the cliff. By calculating the time it took for the car to reach the ground, we can determine the height of the cliff.
First, we calculate the time taken for the car to reach the ground using the formula: s = ut, where s is the horizontal distance, u is the initial velocity, and t is the time taken.
Given s = 39.2 m and u = 20 m/s, we can find t as follows:
t = s / u = 39.2 / 20 = 1.96 seconds
Next, we use the calculated time and the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s²) to determine the height of the cliff using the formula: h = ½gt².
Substituting the values, we get:
h = ½ × 9.8 × (1.96)² = 18.82 meters
Therefore, the height of the cliff in this scenario is 18.82 meters. This calculation showcases the physics principles behind the stunt car's flying ability and provides insights into the dynamics of projectile motion.