Question #caa2d

1 Answer
Mar 6, 2016

=494.51m=494.51m rounded to second place of decimal

Explanation:

Let the seagull be flying along the horizontal when it pooped.
Due to gravity poop starts falling in the downward vertical direction. Let the height of the seagull at that instant of time be hh and mm be mass of poop. Since motion of seagull and of poop are perpendicular to each other so these are independent of each other.

As we are required to find out height hh, therefore, we consider only the vertical direction. We also assume the following:
1. From the time it started to fall to the time it hits the ground, acceleration due to gravity g=9.81ms^-2g=9.81ms2 is constant.
2. We ignore drag due to atmosphere.

Initial Potential energy of the poop =mgh=mgh
When it hits the ground it potential energy =0=0, as here h=0h=0.
Change in potential energy between the two positions=mgh=mgh

We know that Kinetic energy=1/2mv^2=12mv2,
Initial velocity in the vertical is 00, Hence initial kinetic energy=0=0
Final kinetic energy1/2mv_(text{Impact})^212mv2Impact
Change in Kinetic energy1/2mv_(text{Impact})^2=1/2mcdot98.5^212mv2Impact=12m98.52

Due to the law of conservation of energy,
Change in potential energy== Change in Kinetic energy
mgh=1/2mcdot98.5^2mgh=12m98.52, inserting value of gg
cancelm cdot 9.81cdoth=1/2 cancelmcdot98.5^2
h=1/2 cdot98.5^2/9.81=494.51m rounded to second place of decimal