Potential energy -- child sleds down a slope and comes to a stop....

In summary: However, the energy lost in going down the slope and then translating to the horizontal is the same. The mass of the child and the slide together is 23 kg, so the child is at the horizontal section off before coming to a halt at a distance of 122,93 cm.
  • #1
eefje
15
0

Homework Statement


A child starts from rest and slides on a sled first slope
down over a distance of 25 m . Then, the child slides further over a
horizontal plane. The angle of inclination is 35 ° and the kinetic
coefficient of friction between the sled and the snow is 0.100. The mass
of the child and the slide together 23 kg . What distance puts the child at the
horizontal section off before coming to a halt ?(122,93) What do I wrong? thank you

Homework Equations


dE=-Fw.d Ek=(1/2m).v^2 Epot= m.g.h

The Attempt at a Solution


first I go from the beginning to the ground then second I start from the ground to when it stops
y=-cos35.G+N=0
N=23*9,81N*cos(35°)
= 184,8
Fw= Fn*0,1= 18,48
x=-cos55*23*9,81+18,48=m*a
-110=m*a

dE=-Fw*d
m*g*hB+0-(1/2m*v^2A)-0=-Fw*d

(hB= cos55°*25=14,34)

23*9,81*14,34-1/2*23*v^2A=-18,48*d
v^2A=321What distance puts the child at the
horizontal section off before coming to a halt
-1/2*m*v^2A=-Fw*d
-1/2*23*321+18,48=d
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
eefje said:

Homework Statement


A child starts from rest and slides on a sled first slope
down over a distance of 25 m . Then, the child slides further over a
horizontal plane. The angle of inclination is 35 ° and the kinetic
coefficient of friction between the sled and the snow is 0.100. The mass
of the child and the slide together 23 kg . What distance puts the child at the
horizontal section off before coming to a halt ?(122,93) What do I wrong? thank you

Homework Equations


dE=-Fw.d Ek=(1/2m).v^2 Epot= m.g.h

The Attempt at a Solution


first I go from the beginning to the ground then second I start from the ground to when it stops
y=-cos25.G+N=0
N=23*9,81N*cos(25°)
= 204,5N
Fw= Fn*0,1= 20,45
x=-cos65*23*9,81+20,45=m*a
-74,9=m*a

dE=-Fw*d
m*g*hB+0-(1/2m*v^2A)-0=-Fw*d (hB= cos65°*25=10,57)
23*9,81*10,57-1/2*23*v^2A=-20,45*d
v^2A=252What distance puts the child at the
horizontal section off before coming to a halt
-1/2*m*v^2A=-Fw*d
-1/2*23*252+20,45=d

kindly recheck your calculation to see that it is correct- angle of inclination is 35 degree- but you are using 25 degrees.

you could have used Potential energy (less workdone against friction) to calculate velocity square (final) and the calculared d straight away as K.E. lost against work done against friction.
 
  • #3
Thank you very much ! I have changed the numbers now of the degrees but I don't understand what I have to do now
 
  • #4
eefje said:
A child starts from rest and slides on a sled first slope
down over a distance of 25 m . Then, the child slides further over a
horizontal plane. The angle of inclination is 35 ° and the kinetic
coefficient of friction between the sled and the snow is 0.100. The mass
of the child and the slide together 23 kg . What distance puts the child at the
horizontal section off before coming to a halt ?
I could be wrong, but I don't think the velocity comes into this problem. You have the initial PE of the child and sled, and that equals the work done by friction against the sled's motion along the path down the slope and on the flat. The normal force is different on the slope versus on the flat, but that is the only thing you should have to change for the two parts of the path, IMO.

Can you try to do the problem just based on the initial PE and the work done by friction along the path?
 
  • Like
Likes eefje
  • #5
well,

the loss in P.E. must have geenerated the kinetic energy but the friction on the incline must have dissipated part of the P.E. so till the cart comes to the horizontal end
write the energy equation-
P.E. - Work done against Friction= K.E. of the cart with boy
now equate the K.E. found above with the Energy loss in going against Friction during Translation distance d on horizontal till it stops
the mass of boy and cart may not be needed.
 
  • Like
Likes eefje
  • #6
berkeman said:
I could be wrong, but I don't think the velocity comes into this problem. You have the initial PE of the child and sled, and that equals the work done by friction against the sled's motion along the path down the slope and on the flat. The normal force is different on the slope versus on the flat, but that is the only thing you should have to change for the two parts of the path, IMO.

Can you try to do the problem just based on the initial PE and the work done by friction along the path?
Thank you! you mean just:
m*g*h=-Fw*d
23*9,81*14,3=18,48
d=175,08
it isn't right
is mine hB right?
 
  • #7
eefje said:
Thank you! you mean just:
m*g*h=-Fw*d
23*9,81*14,3=18,48
d=175,08
it isn't right
is mine hB right?
There are different normal forces on the slope versus the flat, so the friction force is different on the slope versus the flat. It doesn't look like you've taken that into account yet... :smile:
 
  • Like
Likes eefje
  • #8
berkeman said:
There are different normal forces on the slope versus the flat, so the friction force is different on the slope versus the flat. It doesn't look like you've taken that into account yet... :smile:
Is there only friction on the flat?. I have put the friction of the slope =0 and changed everything in the thing
I have post and I come still on 174,86
 
  • #9
eefje said:
Is there only friction on the flat?.
No, there is snow everywhere, so there is friction everywhere. The friction force is a bit lower on the slope, though, since the normal force is smaller. How much smaller?
 
  • Like
Likes eefje
  • #10
berkeman said:
No, there is snow everywhere, so there is friction everywhere. The friction force is a bit lower on the slope, though, since the normal force is smaller. How much smaller?
Thank you :) but where is the friction 0,1 then? I will try to solve it an other time because I have tried it and i can't solve it maybe another time with the help of the things you have said
 
  • #11
eefje said:
but where is the friction 0,1 then?
That is the coefficient of friction between the sled and the snow. μ = 0.1 everywhere between the sled and the snow.

When you listed the Relevant Equations, you did not list the equation that relates the friction force F to the normal force N and the coefficient of friction μ. Can you list that equation? What is N on the slope and on the flat? N is different on the slope versus the flat...
 
  • Like
Likes eefje
  • #12
drvrm said:
well,

the loss in P.E. must have geenerated the kinetic energy but the friction on the incline must have dissipated part of the P.E. so till the cart comes to the horizontal end
write the energy equation-
P.E. - Work done against Friction= K.E. of the cart with boy
now equate the K.E. found above with the Energy loss in going against Friction during Translation distance d on horizontal till it stops
the mass of boy and cart may not be needed.
Thank you :smile:
 
  • #13
drvrm said:
well,

the loss in P.E. must have geenerated the kinetic energy but the friction on the incline must have dissipated part of the P.E. so till the cart comes to the horizontal end
write the energy equation-
P.E. - Work done against Friction= K.E. of the cart with boy
now equate the K.E. found above with the Energy loss in going against Friction during Translation distance d on horizontal till it stops
the mass of boy and cart may not be needed.
Thank you I understand it now
 
  • #14
berkeman said:
That is the coefficient of friction between the sled and the snow. μ = 0.1 everywhere between the sled and the snow.

When you listed the Relevant Equations, you did not list the equation that relates the friction force F to the normal force N and the coefficient of friction μ. Can you list that equation? What is N on the slope and on the flat? N is different on the slope versus the flat...
Thank you very much I understand it now :smile:
 
  • #15
I have tried it with
Epot=-Fw.d with TWo different FN but the solution is wrong
 
  • #16
eefje said:
I have tried it with
Epot=-Fw.d with TWo different FN but the solution is wrong
Well let me try to read your mind to see where the problem is... :smile:

But seriously, please post your work in detail so we can try to find any errors...
 
  • #17
N1=23*9,81N*cos(35°)
= 184,8
Fw1= Fn*0,1= 18,48
N2=23*9,81=225,63
Fw2=Fn*0,1=22,563
(hB= cos55°*25=14,34)
Epot=-Fw.d
23*9,81*14,34=-18,48*25-22,563*d
3235,53=-462-22,563*d
3235,53+462=-22,563*d
3697,53/-22,563=d

163,87=d
 
  • #18
eefje said:
Epot=-Fw.d
Be careful with signs. With that formulation, the Epot should be the change in potential energy, yes? Is that positive or negative?

I strongly encourage you to get into the habit of working purely symbolically as far as possible. Pretend no numeric values are given, so make up variables to represent them. It has many benefits. In the present case, all the mass terms and g terms would have cancelled, simplifying the arithmetic at the end. You would also get more precise answers numerically since you would avoid accumulation of rounding errors. See https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/frequently-made-errors-equation-handling/ for more on the subject.
 
  • Like
Likes eefje and berkeman
  • #19
But how do i come to the Right solution ? What did i do Wrong in the latest answer i gave, and not only the positive of negative sign
 
  • #20
eefje said:
But how do i come to the Right solution ? What did i do Wrong in the latest answer i gave, and not only the positive of negative sign
As far as I can see, the signs are your only errors.
 
  • #21
Total PE gets dissipated by total frictional force (along incline + along horizontal path) and KE becomes zero at rest.

So, PE = Wfr1 + Wfr2, solve for Dhorizontal.
 
  • #22
Anjum S Khan said:
Total PE gets dissipated by total frictional force (along incline + along horizontal path) and KE becomes zero at rest.

So, PE = Wfr1 + Wfr2, solve for Dhorizontal.
That's what @eefje did in post #17, but had a sign error or two.
 

FAQ: Potential energy -- child sleds down a slope and comes to a stop....

What is potential energy in regards to a child sledding?

Potential energy is the energy that an object has due to its position or state. In the case of a child sledding down a slope, the potential energy comes from the height of the slope and the mass of the sled and the child.

How does potential energy change as the child sleds down the slope?

As the child sleds down the slope, the potential energy decreases because the height decreases. This decrease in potential energy is converted into kinetic energy, which is the energy of motion.

What factors affect the potential energy of the child on the sled?

The potential energy of the child on the sled is affected by the height of the slope, the mass of the sled and child, and the force of gravity. The higher the slope, the more potential energy the child has. The heavier the sled and child, the more potential energy they have. And the force of gravity determines how quickly the potential energy is converted into kinetic energy.

Why does the child stop at the bottom of the slope?

The child stops at the bottom of the slope because all of the potential energy has been converted into kinetic energy. As the sled travels down the slope, the potential energy decreases and the kinetic energy increases. When the sled reaches the bottom, the potential energy is zero and the kinetic energy is at its maximum. The sled then comes to a stop due to friction and air resistance.

Can potential energy be converted into other forms of energy?

Yes, potential energy can be converted into other forms of energy, such as kinetic energy, thermal energy, or electrical energy. In the case of the child sledding down the slope, the potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. But in other situations, potential energy can also be converted into other forms of energy depending on the circumstances.

Back
Top