# Math Help - Physics Question

1. ## Physics Question

In February 1955, a paratrooper fell 370 m from an airplane without being able to open his chute but happened to land in snow, suffering only minor injuries. Assume that his speed at impact was 48 m/s (terminal speed), that his mass (including gear) was 62 kg, and that the magnitude of the force on him from the snow was at the survivable limit of 1.3 x 105 N. What are (a) the minimum depth of snow that would have stopped him safely and (b) the magnitude of the impulse on him from the snow?

2. Originally Posted by Hasan1
In February 1955, a paratrooper fell 370 m from an airplane without being able to open his chute but happened to land in snow, suffering only minor injuries. Assume that his speed at impact was 48 m/s (terminal speed), that his mass (including gear) was 62 kg, and that the magnitude of the force on him from the snow was at the survivable limit of 1.3 x 105 N. What are (a) the minimum depth of snow that would have stopped him safely and (b) the magnitude of the impulse on him from the snow?
Impulse equation ...

$F \Delta t = m \Delta v$

you have $F$, $m$, and $\Delta v$

calculate $\Delta t$ ... then determine the depth of displacement, $\Delta x$ , using kinematics.

part (b) can be found using $m\Delta v$