Homework Help: physics

Posted by lost on Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 8:42pm.

The cable of a 1800-kg elevator has broken, and the elevator is moving downward at a steady speed of 1.6 m/s. A safety braking system that works on friction prevents the downward speed from increasing.

a. at what rate does mechanical energy turn into thermal energy. I found this:
28.2528 kW

b.While the elevator is moving downward at 1.6 m/s, the braking system fails and the elevator is in free-fall for a distance of 5.3 m before hitting the top of a large safety spring with force constant of 1.50 104 N/m. After the elevator hits the top of the spring, find the distance d that the spring is compressed before the elevator is brought to rest.

physics - bobpursley, Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 9:02pm
rate of energy: force*distance/time=mg*velocity

KE of fall+ addedPE= PE spring
1/2 m*1.6^2+mg*5.3+ mg*x= 1/2 k x^2
solve for x

Looks like a quadratic equation.

Answer this Question

Related Questions

physics - The cable of a 1800-kg elevator has broken, and the elevator is ...
physics - The cable of a 1800-kg elevator has broken, and the elevator is moving...
physics - An elevator is being lifted up an elevator shaft at a constant speed ...
Physics - A cable lifts a 1370 kg elevator at a constant velocity for a distance...
College Physics - A 6107 kg elevator is moving 4.6 m/s up. The tension in the ...
physics - - A 1600-KG ELEVATOR accelerates downward at 2.00 m/s2 starting from ...
Physics - An elevator and its load have a combined mass of 1550 kg. Find the ...
physics - An elevator and its load have a combined mass of 1700 kg. Find the ...
physics - A 800·kg elevator is attached to a cable whose tension is 7800&...
Physics - Safety engineers estimate that an elevator can hold 20 persons of 65 ...

For Further Reading

First Name:
School Subject:
Answer: