Physics Question: The cliff divers of Acapulco push off horizontally from rock platforms about 35 m above the?

Question

water, but they must clear rocky outcrops at water level taht extend out into the water about 5 m from the base of the cliff directly under their launchpoint. What minimum pushoff speed is necessary to do this? How long are they in the air?

Answer 1

For time t, the drop is (1/2)(9.8 m/s²)(t²), so for 35 m, we can compute t to be 2.67 seconds. That means in order to move horizontally 5 m, the minimum pushoff speed would have to be 5/2.67 m/s, or about 1.87 m/s.