Question

A stone is dropped from a height of 500 m. If the stone is initially at rest and assuming gravity is the only force acting on the stone, how far will it be from the ground after 10 seconds? Show me a solution

Answer 1

To solve this problem, we can use the equations of motion for an object in free fall. The equation we need is:

h = h₀ + v₀t + (1/2)gt²

Where: h is the final height from the ground, h₀ is the initial height (500 m), v₀ is the initial velocity (0 m/s since the stone is initially at rest), t is the time (10 seconds), and g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s²).

Plugging in the values, we have:

h = 500 + 0 * 10 + (1/2) * 9.8 * (10)²

Simplifying:

h = 500 + 0 + 0.5 * 9.8 * 100

h = 500 + 0 + 490

h = 990

Therefore, after 10 seconds, the stone will be 990 meters from the ground.