The straightest road in the USA is the Simi Highway, Route 28, in Michigan. A driver, seated in a car, is viewing a deer crossing the road. The eyes of the driver are about 3 ft above the ground, and the deer is about 3 ft in height. If the radius of the Earth is 6400 km. Required:
a. How far away can the driver see the very top of the deer as it emerges from below the horizon?
b. If the deer is 5 feet long, what angle does the deer subtend from the driver (i. e. what is the angular size of the 5’ long deer at this distance)?

a) d = 3.6 km

b) 0.024°

Explanation:

To see the top of a 1 m tall deer over the surface of a 6400 km radius perfect sphere, the angle subtended is

cosθ = 6 400 000 / (6 400 001)

θ = 0.0320293...°

d = Rtanθ = 6 400 000tan0.0320293

d = 3,577.708... m

5 ft = 1.524 m

tanθ = 1.524 / 3577.7

θ = 0.0244063...°

statement #3 on andre"s list is false.

the design of a ski jumping suit involves a trade-off between giving the skiers lift to get higher jumps and ensuring the skier does not face a lot of drag before the jump itself. an expansive suit may to lift the skier higher, but at the same time, it will also increase the air resistance. higher air resistance as the skier goes down the slope limits the speed of the jump. a big suit also increases the risk of losing balance or control, especially if there's a strong gust of wind. while technologically enhanced suits a lot, clothing is not the only factor in a ski jumper’s success. gathering speed while skiing down the slope, ensuring good speed on the ramp, and maintaining good body posture and form in the air all contribute to a ski jumper's success.