A crate falls from an airplane flying horizontally at an altitude of 2,000 m.

Neglecting air drag, how long will the crate take to strike the ground?

20.2 seconds

Explanation:

The airplane (and therefore the crate) initially has no vertical velocity, so v₀ = 0 m/s.

The crate is in free fall, so a = - 9.8 m/s².

The crate falls downward, so Δx = - 2000 m.

Find: t, the time it takes for the crate to land.

Δx = v₀ t + ½ at²

-2000 m = (0 m/s) t + ½ (-9.8 m/s²) t²

t = 20.2 s

It takes 20.2 seconds for the crate to land.