A 530-g squirrel with a surface area of 850 cm 2 falls from a 6.0-m tree to the

Question

A 530-g squirrel with a surface area of 850 cm2 falls from a 6.0-m tree to the ground. Estimate its terminal velocity. (Use the drag coefficient for a horizontal skydiver. Assume that the cross-sectional area of the squirrel can be approximated as a rectangle of width 11.0 cm and length 22 cm. Note, the squirrel may not reach terminal velocity by the time it hits the ground. Give the squirrel's terminal velocity, not it's velocity as it hits the ground.) = m/s

What will be the velocity of a 53.0-kg person hitting the ground, assuming no drag contribution in such a short distance? =
m/s

Explanation / Answer

given
m = 530g = 0.53 kg
h = 6m high tree

cross section area, A = 0.11*0.22 m^2 = 0.0242m^2
drag coefficient of skydiver, Cd = 0.3
Cd = D/0.5*rho*vt^2
vt = sqrt(2D/rho*Cd)
D = mg
vt = sqrt(2mg/rho*Cd)

for air
rho = 1.225 kg/m^3
Cd = 0.3
then
vt = 5.319352423 m/s

for 53 kg person
vt = 5.3193524*sqrt(100) = 53.1935242 m/s

assuming no drag contribution, 2*g*6 = v^2
v = 10.8498847920 m/s

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