A skydiver is at a height of 10,000 m. Assuming no air resistance, how fast is the skydiver travelling at 9,990 m above the ground?
The skydiver has potential energy at the top of his/her jump, which is transferred to kinetic energy when he/she jumps. The difference in height between the start of the jump and the point at which his/her velocity is being measured is: 10,000-9,990 = 10 m This means that the potential energy in a height of 10 m has been transferred to kinetic energy. So:
Ep=Ek=mgh=(1/2)mv2
=m(9.81)(10)=(1/2)mv2 --> The mass (m) terms cancel
=98.1=(1/2)v2
=196.2=v2 --> Taking the square root of both sides gives the answer below Which means v=14 ms-1
CB
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