How many photons are produced when a 0.39 kg mass falls from a height of 2.9 m?

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To determine the number of photons produced when a 0.39 kg mass falls from a height of 2.9 m, the energy released during the fall must be calculated using gravitational potential energy. The energy of the falling mass is found to be approximately 3.618 x 10^-10 J, while the energy of a single photon at a wavelength of 5.5 x 10^-7 m is also calculated. The total number of photons can be derived by dividing the total energy released by the energy per photon. The discussion clarifies that calculating power is unnecessary for this problem, and the focus should remain on energy conversion. Ultimately, the key takeaway is to use the energy of the falling mass and the energy of a photon to find the total number of photons produced.
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Homework Statement


A 0.39 kg mass falls from a height of 2.9 m. If all of the energy of this mass could be converted to visible light of wavelength 5.5 × 10^−7 m, how many photons would be produced? The acceleration of gravity is 9.8 m/s^2 . Planck’s constant is 6.63 × 10^−34 J · s, and the speed of light is 3 × 10^8 m/s.

Homework Equations


E=hc/λ
p=h/λ
x=.5at^2

The Attempt at a Solution


E=hc/λ=(1.99x10^-25)/(5.5x10^-7)=3.618x10^-10J
x=.5at^2 > 2.9=.5(9.8)t^2 > t=.769s

I think I need to find power but have looked everywhere online and we do not have textbooks to find it with the given data.
 
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You don't need to find power. You could find it if you neglect air resistance but you don't need it.
You know the energy of a single photon.
You know the energy released in falling.
 
The book claims the answer is that all the magnitudes are the same because "the gravitational force on the penguin is the same". I'm having trouble understanding this. I thought the buoyant force was equal to the weight of the fluid displaced. Weight depends on mass which depends on density. Therefore, due to the differing densities the buoyant force will be different in each case? Is this incorrect?

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