During a storm, a car traveling on a level horizontal road comes upon a bridge that has washed out. The driver must get to the other side, so he decides to try leap - ing the river with his car. The side of the road the car is on is 21.3 m above the river, while the opposite side is only 1.8 m above the river. The river itself is a raging torrent 48.0 m wide. (a) How fast should the car be traveling at the time it leaves the road in order just to clear the river and land safely on the opposite side

Question

Physics

Piper Howe

20 April, 10:34

During a storm, a car traveling on a level horizontal road comes upon a bridge that has washed out. The driver must get to the other side, so he decides to try leap - ing the river with his car. The side of the road the car is on is 21.3 m above the river, while the opposite side is only 1.8 m above the river. The river itself is a raging torrent 48.0 m wide. (a) How fast should the car be traveling at the time it leaves the road in order just to clear the river and land safely on the opposite side

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Answers (1)

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Martha Gonzalez · Answer 1

Distance of fall = 21.3 - 1.8 = 19.5 m

horizontal distance covered = 48 m

Let horizontal speed of car required = u

Time to reach the other side

= 48 / u

This time is required for vertical fall

h = 1/2 g t²

19.5 = 1/2 g (48/u) ²

u² = 579

u = 24 m / s