A boat is tied to a stake on a fast flowing river. What energy does the boat gain when the rope is cut.
Assistance needed.
it gains velocity, which means it gains kinetic energy, 1/2 m v^2
When the rope connecting the boat to the stake is cut, the boat will begin to move with the flow of the fast-flowing river. In this scenario, the boat gains kinetic energy.
To understand how the boat gains kinetic energy, we need to consider the principle of conservation of energy, which states that energy cannot be created or destroyed but can only be transferred or transformed from one form to another.
The potential energy that the boat had while being held in place by the rope is converted into kinetic energy once the boat starts moving freely in the river. As the boat gains speed and moves with the flow of water, its kinetic energy increases.
The amount of kinetic energy the boat gains will depend on various factors, such as the mass of the boat, the velocity of the river's flow, and any other external forces acting on the boat (such as wind or waves). To calculate the exact amount of kinetic energy gained, you would need these additional details and use the kinetic energy formula:
Kinetic Energy = (0.5) * mass * velocity^2
The boat will continue to gain kinetic energy as it accelerates with the river's flow until other external forces, like friction or drag, come into play and resist its motion.