A pole vaulter clears 4.00 m.With what speed does he strike the mat in the landing area?
A) 78.4 m/s
B) 6.3 m/s
C) 8.9 m/s
D) 4.4 m/s
E) 0.2 m/s

Question

A pole vaulter clears 4.00 m.With what speed does he strike the mat in the landing area?
A) 78.4 m/s
B) 6.3 m/s
C) 8.9 m/s
D) 4.4 m/s
E) ​0.2 m/s

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To solve this problem, we can use the conservation of energy principle. At the highest point of the vault, all of the initial potential energy (mgh) is converted into kinetic energy (1/2 mv^2) just before the vaulter begins to descend. Therefore, we can use the formula for kinetic energy to solve for the velocity:

1/2 mv^2 = mgh

v^2 = 2gh

v = sqrt(2gh)

where g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s^2) and h is the height of the jump (4.00 m).

v = sqrt(2*9.8*4.00) = 8.88 m/s

Therefore, the vaulter strikes the mat with a speed of approximately 8.9 m/s. The correct answer is choice (C).

A Pole Vaulter Clears 4