Calculating Temperature Increase From Hand Rubbing Work

AI Thread Summary
Rubbing hands together generates thermal energy through work done against friction, with the problem involving 10 rubs over 7.50 cm at a frictional force of 45.0 N. The work can be calculated using the formula work = force * distance, leading to a total energy input. To find the temperature increase, the specific heat capacity of human tissue is needed, which is approximately 3470 J/(kg⋅°C). Assuming 100% efficiency in energy conversion, the work done translates entirely into heat, allowing for the calculation of temperature change. The discussion concludes with the realization that the specific heat capacity is key to solving the problem.
narutoish
Messages
25
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



Rubbing your hands together warms them by converting work into thermal energy. If a woman rubs her hands back and forth for a total of 10 rubs a distance of 7.50 cm each and with a frictional force averaging 45.0 N, what is the temperature increase? The mass of tissue warmed is only 0.100 kg, mostly in the palms and fingers.

Homework Equations



work = force * distance

The Attempt at a Solution



i can find the work, but after that I don't know how to connect that to temperature change.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Some of the work is converted to heat, I would go with Q = cmΔT , but I have no idea what c is for human skin, tissue, cells or whatever. If you assume the process is 100% efficient, all the work done goes toward heating the skin, then all you would need is the c , the amount of energy it takes to heat up 1 kg of mass by 1 K
It is said lots of it in our body is water, the c for water is 4.2 kJ/ kgK, the surface of the skin is sweat so water again, but I'm not a beauty salon worker :/, can't help you any further at the moment.
 
Last edited:
Hi Naruto,
Specific heat capacity of human body on average is 3470 J/(kg⋅°C).So I think you should use that.
 
so does all the work convert to heat?
 
Never does. There is no further data on the assignment, therefore I can assume the process is 100% efficient.
 
Thanks guys I got it.
 
Thread 'Voltmeter readings for this circuit with switches'
TL;DR Summary: I would like to know the voltmeter readings on the two resistors separately in the picture in the following cases , When one of the keys is closed When both of them are opened (Knowing that the battery has negligible internal resistance) My thoughts for the first case , one of them must be 12 volt while the other is 0 The second case we'll I think both voltmeter readings should be 12 volt since they are both parallel to the battery and they involve the key within what the...
Thread 'Trying to understand the logic behind adding vectors with an angle between them'
My initial calculation was to subtract V1 from V2 to show that from the perspective of the second aircraft the first one is -300km/h. So i checked with ChatGPT and it said I cant just subtract them because I have an angle between them. So I dont understand the reasoning of it. Like why should a velocity be dependent on an angle? I was thinking about how it would look like if the planes where parallel to each other, and then how it look like if one is turning away and I dont see it. Since...
Back
Top