What is a possible explination for why the giant ice caps that covered a supercontinent in the paleozoic era melted?

Greenhouse effect

Explanation:

The Paleozoic era is followed by the Mesozoic era. The Mesozoic era consists of three periods Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous.

During the cretaceous period the temperature of earth was 10 to 15 °C warmer than it is today. This warmth was caused due to the increase in volcanic activity of Earth. As the tectonic plates were moving this created mantle from the Earth's core rose to the surface causing increased volcanic activity. This volcanic activity increased the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere thus creating the greenhouse effect.

initial speed when it is dropped is 150 ft/s

now at the same moment the acceleration due to gravity is perpendicular to its velocity

so as we know that

now we have centripetal acceleration a = 32 ft/s^2 as its perpendicular to velocity

while tangential acceleration at the same moment will be zero

so

now radius of curvature is given as

so the radius of curvature just after it is dropped is 703.125 ft