Introductory Power/Work Problem

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In summary: Thanks again!In summary, a person pushes a 16.0-kg shopping cart at a constant velocity for a distance of 28.0 m. She pushes in a direction 24.0° below the horizontal. A 32.0-N frictional force opposes the motion of the cart.
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jacksonpeeble
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Homework Statement


1. Some gliders are launched from the ground by means of a winch, which rapidly reels in a towing cable attached to the glider. What average power must the winch supply in order to accelerate a 188-kg ultra-light glider from rest to 24.0 m/s over a horizontal distance of 51.0 m? Assume that friction and air resistance are negligible, and that the tension in the winch cable is constant.

2. A person pushes a 16.0-kg shopping cart at a constant velocity for a distance of 28.0 m. She pushes in a direction 24.0° below the horizontal. A 32.0-N frictional force opposes the motion of the cart.
a. What is the magnitude of the force that the shopper exerts?
b. Determine the work done by the pushing force.
c. Determine the work done by the frictional force.
d. Determine the work done by the gravitational force.

Homework Equations


P=W/T
W=F*D

The Attempt at a Solution


1. P=((188kg*24m/s)*51m)/(51m/24m/s)

2. a. I assumed this would just be 16*28*cos(24), but this doesn't work. Once I have this, I can solve for B and probably C.
b.
c.
d. w=0
 
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Any help would be greatly appreciated!
 
  • #3
jacksonpeeble said:

Homework Statement


1. Some gliders are launched from the ground by means of a winch, which rapidly reels in a towing cable attached to the glider. What average power must the winch supply in order to accelerate a 188-kg ultra-light glider from rest to 24.0 m/s over a horizontal distance of 51.0 m? Assume that friction and air resistance are negligible, and that the tension in the winch cable is constant.

Homework Equations


P=W/T
W=F*D

The Attempt at a Solution


1. P=((188kg*24m/s)*51m)/(51m/24m/s)

If you're saying that T=D/vfinal, the problem with that is the glider does not have v=constant=vfinal during the entire time.

How about using T=D/vaverage, assuming constant acceleration?

Also, force F is not m vfinal. How about using the change in the glider's energy to find the work done on it?

Regards,

RB

p.s. I'd like to suggest posting your 2nd question as a separate thread.
 
  • #4
Thank you very much for the reply! Since the initial velocity is 0, I believe the average velocity would be simply .5*24=12. Correct me if I'm wrong, and please excuse my clumsy mistake! :-)

Therefore 51m/12m/s=4.25s.

(188*[change in energy])*51/4.25=p

However, I still do not understand how to find the change in energy. A little clarification would be greatly appreciated. I'm probably missing something obvious, but I'm really drawing a blank.

Thanks again!
 
  • #5
Shoot, that's average acceleration, isn't it...

I'm not on my game tonight. I really need help, though, the assignment is due tonight at midnight (online class).
 
  • #6
Never mind...

12739.8=(24/(51/12))*188*51/(51/12)
 
  • #7
jacksonpeeble said:
Thank you very much for the reply! Since the initial velocity is 0, I believe the average velocity would be simply .5*24=12. Correct me if I'm wrong, and please excuse my clumsy mistake! :-)
Correct!

Therefore 51m/12m/s=4.25s.
Yes.

.
.
.
However, I still do not understand how to find the change in energy. A little clarification would be greatly appreciated. I'm probably missing something obvious, but I'm really drawing a blank.
See below.

jacksonpeeble said:
Never mind...

12739.8=(24/(51/12))*188*51/(51/12)
Looks good. a*m*D / T = F*D/T = W/T = P :smile: I didn't check the arithmetic, but things are set up correctly on the right hand side.

To do this using energy, realize that the work done W can be converted to either kinetic or potential energy, or a combination of both. So if you can calculate the change in total energy,

ΔKE + ΔPE​

you could equate that result with the work W. This should give the same answer as a*m*D.
 

FAQ: Introductory Power/Work Problem

What is the definition of power?

Power is the rate at which work is done or energy is transferred. It is measured in watts (W), which equals one joule (J) of work per second (s).

How is power related to work?

Power is directly proportional to work. This means that as power increases, work also increases at the same rate. In other words, if the power is doubled, the work done is also doubled.

What is the formula for calculating power?

The formula for power is P = W/t, where P is power in watts, W is work in joules, and t is time in seconds. This means that power is equal to the amount of work divided by the time taken to do the work.

Can power be negative?

Yes, power can be negative. This occurs when work is being done against a resistance, such as when a car is braking. In this case, the power is negative because energy is being transferred from the car to the brakes.

How is power measured?

Power is measured in watts (W). One watt is equivalent to one joule (J) of work per second (s). Larger units of power include kilowatts (kW) and megawatts (MW), which are commonly used to measure the power output of engines and power plants.

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