A daredevil is shot out of a cannon at 44.0 ◦ to the horizontal with an initial speed of 29.1 m/s.

Question

A net is positioned at a horizontal distance of 47.7 m from the cannon from which the daredevil is shot. The acceleration of gravity is 9.81 m/s 2 . At what height above the cannon’s mouth should the net be placed in order to catch the daredevil? Answer in units of m.

Answer 1

Hi Elizabeth G.,

For the x-direction we get the equation x = 29.1*cos(44)*t.

For the y-direction (height) we get the equation y(t) = 29.1*sin(44)*t - .5*9.81*t².

With 47.7 for the horizontal distance:

47.7 = 29.1*sin(44)*t

t = 47.7/[29.1*sin(44)] = 2.27872...

Plug (t) into y(t) to find the height:

y(t) = 20.6 m

I hope this helps, Joe.