Question

An otter jumps horizontally off a cliff with a speed of 2.72 m/s and lands in the water a horizontal distance of 4.67 m from the edge of the cliff. How high above the water did the otter jumps from?

_________ m

Answer 1

horizontal velocity of the otter from the cliff = 2.72m/s

horizontal distance from the edge of the cliff = 4.67m

consider the height of the cliff from the water = H

since, there will not acceleration along the horizontal direction on the otter because acceleration due to gravity acts vertically downward with g= 9.8m/s². so, horizontal velocity of the otter will be constant through

the whole journey.

time taken by the otter to cover the distance 4.67m horizontaly = t = d/v = 4.67/2.72 = 1.716 = 1.72 sec

this time will also be same to cover the vertical height of the otter.

initial vertical velocity of the otter is zero because on the cliff otter moves horizontaly.

so, u_y = 0

   by using the equation of kinematics,

   H = u_yt + 1/2 gt²

put these all values and find the value of H = height of the cliff from the water

   H = 0*1.72 + 1/2 * 9.8 * (1.72)² = 14.496m = 14.50m