4.24. A fighter plane is flying horizontally at an altitude of 1.5 km with a speed of 720 km/h. At what angle of sight when the target is seen, should the pilot drop the bomb in order to attack the target?
Consider the adjacent diagram. Let a fighter plane, when it be
at position P, drops a bomb to hit a target T.
Step 2: Calculate the time taken to travel vertical distance.
Altitude of the plane (P'T) = 15 km = 1500 m
P'T=12gt2⇒1500=12×9.8t2⇒ t2=15004.9⇒t=√150049=17.49sP'T=12gt2⇒1500=12×9.8t2⇒ t2=15004.9⇒t=√150049=17.49s
Step 3: Write the equation in the horizontal direction and calculate PP'
Speed of the plane = 720 km/h = 720×518 m/s = 200 m/s= 720 km/h = 720×518 m/s = 200 m/s
If the bomb hits the target after time t, then the horizontal distance traveled by the bomb.
PP' = vxvxt = 200t
PP' = 200 × 17.49mNow, tanθ = P'TP'P = 1500200×17.49 = .49287 = tan23∘12' θ = 23∘12'. PP' = 200 × 17.49mNow, tanθ = P'TP'P = 1500200×17.49 = .49287 = tan23∘12' θ = 23∘12'.
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