An emergency supply kit is dropped from a military helicopter but the kit can only handle an impact of 40.4 m/s. How far from the ground can the helicopter be without risking that the kit breaks?

Answer 1

The fact that the kit is "dropped" means that in the vertical direction, v₀ = 0 m/s. We also know that a = -9.8 m/s² and that the maximum final velocity v_f = 40.4. We need to know "how far from the ground" which means that we are looking for how far it will drop, or the displacement (Δx). The kinematic equation that relates these four values is: v_f² = v₀² + 2aΔx. Plugging in and solving for Δx:

40.4² = 0² + 2(-9.8)Δx

1632.16 = -19.6Δx

Δx ≈ -83.3 m

So the answer to the question is it can be at most 83.3 m from the ground.