A rescue raft unknowingly drifts on a calm lake for 5.00 min
PHYSICS · Multi-part · CBSE · Physics · Motion in a Plane · Motion in a Plane
Problem
A rescue raft unknowingly drifts on a calm lake for 5.00 min. GPS data later reveal that the raft’s coordinates changed from (xi, yi) = (2500 m, 3100 m) to (xf, yf) = (1850 m, 2860 m) in a coordinate system where +x points east and +y points north.
(a) Compute the x- and y-components of the raft’s displacement during the drift interval.
(b) Determine the magnitude of the displacement.
(c) Calculate the raft’s average drift speed for the 5.00 min interval.
(d) Find the direction of the displacement as a compass bearing, to the nearest degree.
(e) A steady wind is reported to have blown toward the southwest during the interval. Discuss whether the wind could plausibly account for the raft’s motion, citing numerical evidence from your results.