Mechanics: Newton's Laws of Motion

Newton's Laws of Motion: Audio Guided Solution

Problem 19:

Skydiving tunnels have become popular attractions, appealing in part to those who would like a taste of the skydiving experience but are too overwhelmed by the fear of jumping out of a plane at several thousand feet. Skydiving tunnels are vertical wind tunnels through which air is blown at high speeds, allowing visitors to experience bodyflight. On Natalya's first adventure inside the tunnel, she changes her orientation and for an instant, her 46.8-kg body momentarily experiences an upward force of air resistance of 521 N. Determine Natalya's acceleration during this moment in time.

Audio Guided Solution

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Habits of an Effective Problem Solver

  • Read the problem carefully and develop a mental picture of the physical situation. If necessary, sketch a simple diagram of the physical situation to help you visualize it.
  • Identify the known and unknown quantities in an organized manner. Equate given values to the symbols used to represent the corresponding quantity - e.g., vo = 0 m/s; a = 4.2 m/s/s; vf = 22.9 m/s; d = ???.
  • Use physics formulas and conceptual reasoning to plot a strategy for solving for the unknown quantity.
  • Identify the appropriate formula(s) to use.
  • Perform substitutions and algebraic manipulations in order to solve for the unknown quantity.

Read About It!

Get more information on the topic of Newton's Laws of Motion at The Physics Classroom Tutorial.

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