A 66 kg skier starts from rest at the top of a 1200 m long trail which drops a total of 180 m from top to bottom. At the bottom, the skier is moving 11.0 m/s. How much energy was dissipated by friction?
Ah, I answered the very similar baseball one. Your turn.
post it.
cmcmd
To determine the amount of energy dissipated by friction, you will need to calculate the total mechanical energy lost by the skier as they move down the trail.
1. Start by finding the potential energy at the top of the trail using the equation:
Potential Energy = mass * gravity * height
In this case, the mass of the skier is 66 kg, the acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.8 m/s^2, and the height is 180 m.
So, the potential energy at the top of the trail is:
Potential Energy = 66 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 * 180 m
2. Next, calculate the kinetic energy at the bottom of the trail using the equation:
Kinetic Energy = (1/2) * mass * velocity^2
Here, the mass of the skier is still 66 kg, and the velocity at the bottom is given as 11.0 m/s.
The kinetic energy at the bottom of the trail is therefore:
Kinetic Energy = (1/2) * 66 kg * (11.0 m/s)^2
3. Now, the total mechanical energy lost can be found by subtracting the final kinetic energy from the initial potential energy:
Mechanical Energy Lost = Potential Energy - Kinetic Energy
Finally, once you have the total mechanical energy lost, it represents the energy dissipated by friction along the trail.