Calculate Speed of Falling Objects: Water Balloon and Cliff Divers

What is the speed of a water balloon dropped from a dorm window 29 m above the ground?

How fast are the cliff divers in Acapulco, Mexico, going when they jump off a cliff 22.7 m above the ocean?

Answer:

The speed of the water balloon when it hits the ground is 24 m/s, and the speed of the cliff divers hitting the water is 21 m/s.

To determine the speed of falling objects such as the water balloon and the cliff divers, we can use the physics principle of energy conservation.

Using the formula for the speed of an object under gravitational acceleration: v = sqrt(2gh), where v is the final speed, g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s^2 on Earth), and h is the height the object is falling from.

For the water balloon dropped from a dorm window 29 m high, the speed when it hits the ground will be calculated as v = sqrt(2*9.8*29) m/s = 24 m/s.

Similarly, for the cliff divers in Acapulco jumping from a height of 22.7 m, their speed when hitting the water will be v = sqrt(2*9.8*22.7) = 21 m/s.

Please note that these speeds are based on ideal conditions with no air resistance. In reality, air friction may affect the actual speeds of falling objects.

Understanding the speed of falling objects under gravitational acceleration helps us appreciate the physical laws governing motion and energy in our everyday lives. By applying these concepts, we gain a deeper understanding of the world around us and the forces that shape it.