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Ch 02: Motion Along a Straight Line
Chapter 2, Problem 2

A hot-air balloonist, rising vertically with a constant velocity of magnitude 5.00 m/s, releases a sandbag at an instant when the balloon is 40.0 m above the ground (Fig. E2.44). After the sandbag is released, it is in free fall. (a) Compute the position and velocity of the sandbag at 0.250 s and 1.00 s after its release. Illustration of a hot-air balloon and a sandbag being released.
Diagram showing a balloonist releasing a sandbag at 40.0 m height with velocity 5.00 m/s.

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Step 1: Identify the initial conditions. The initial velocity of the sandbag is the same as the balloon's velocity, which is 5.00 m/s upward. The initial position of the sandbag is 40.0 m above the ground.
Step 2: Use the kinematic equations to find the position and velocity of the sandbag at 0.250 s after release. The equations are: 1) v = u + at 2) s = ut + 0.5at^2 where u is the initial velocity, a is the acceleration (which is -9.8 m/s^2 due to gravity), t is the time, v is the final velocity, and s is the displacement.
Step 3: Substitute the values into the equations for t = 0.250 s. For velocity: v = 5.00 m/s + (-9.8 m/s^2)(0.250 s) For position: s = (5.00 m/s)(0.250 s) + 0.5(-9.8 m/s^2)(0.250 s)^2
Step 4: Use the same kinematic equations to find the position and velocity of the sandbag at 1.00 s after release. For velocity: v = 5.00 m/s + (-9.8 m/s^2)(1.00 s) For position: s = (5.00 m/s)(1.00 s) + 0.5(-9.8 m/s^2)(1.00 s)^2
Step 5: Calculate the final position above the ground by subtracting the displacement from the initial height of 40.0 m. The final position is 40.0 m - s.

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