You build and launch a rocket. You measure the highest altitude of your rocket as 300 ft. Using a stopwatch, you find that the rocket was in the air for 15 seconds. What was the average speed of the rocket, and how did you come up with the answer?
Thanks!
2007-03-07 13:06:00 · 8 answers · asked by sktchgrl 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The rocket went up 300 feet and came back down that same 300 feet, so it went a total distance of 600 feet. It took 15 seconds to go that far, so its average speed is just 600 feet in 15 seconds, or 600/15 = 40 feet per second.
2007-03-07 14:59:48 · answer #1 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There's really not enough information here to give you an accurate answer.
Is 15 seconds the entire travel of the rocket from launch to landing? Do you have to account for gravity (9.8m per second squared)? What conversion do you need for speed (mph, ft/second, meters/second)
If it's as basic as it you worded it... 300 divided by 15 = 20 feet per second on average for the entire trip.
That's not at all correct for a rocket though. Ideally you'd calculate how much thrust the rocket engine produced and calulate for the actual speed of the rocket accounting for wind resistance on the surface of the rocket and the effect of gravity. While the engine is at full burn on the rocket and it is consistantly accelerating to break free of gravity it is going to be moving A LOT faster than once the chute opens and the rocket falls back to the ground. Without the thrust of the engine, gravity and wind resistance are the main forces acting on it and it's going to fall incredibly slow comparatively. Also, the down trip is going to take and entirely different amount of time. So that number is an entirely subjective answer.
2007-03-07 13:21:54 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Assuming the rocket took 15 seconds to reach the 300 feet and then came down on a parachute. The average speed would be 300 feet/15 seconds or 20 feet per second. You can convert that into miles per hour if you want.
2007-03-07 13:15:16 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not a very powerful rocket, huh? The rocket reaches altitude fast but fall at a slower rate, being non-powered free-fall from 0mph at max height. In your scenario, average speed cannot be computed without more info. How fast it reaches max height (1 sec, 3 sec.?), does it become non-powered before max height (yes), time from stall to return to earth, etc.
2007-03-07 13:20:34 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
extremely what scientist do to degree a rockets velocity is to first launch the rocket and then get in a vehicle and floor it interior the comparable course. If the rocket is quicker then the vehicle then they are asserting this is a quickly rocket, If this is slower, they are asserting this is a slow rocket. in the event that they choose for greater good solutions they only make an estimate and upload/subtract from the speedometer.
2016-12-14 13:26:25 · answer #5 · answered by chaplean 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
300 X 4 X 60 / 5,280 = 13.63 MPH
2007-03-07 13:19:29 · answer #6 · answered by Scarp 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'll give you E = MC^2.
You should be able to derive the rest....
2007-03-07 13:24:07 · answer #7 · answered by KevinStud99 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
there are soo many resistance factors involved ! can't answer your questions ~!!!
2007-03-07 13:09:24 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋