You have designed a rocket to be used to sample the local atmosphere for pollution. It is fired vertically with a constant upward acceleration of 17 m/s2. After 20 s, the engine shuts off and the rocket continues rising (in freefall) for a while. (Neglect any effects due to air resistance.) The rocket eventually stops rising and then falls back to the ground. You want to get a sample of air that is 12 km above the ground.

Answer 1

Vo = a*t = 17m/s^2 * 20s = 340 m/s.

h1 = 0.5a*t^2 = 0.5*17*20^2 = 3400 m. = Ht. at which the engine shuts off.

hmax = h1 + (V^2-Vo^2)/2g.
hnax = 3400 + (0-(340^2)/-19.6 =9298 m. = 9.298 km above gnd.

The rocket did not reach the required 12 km.