A 1596 kg car traveling at 24.91 m/s skids to a halt. What is the change in the combined thermal energy of the car and the road surface?
To find the change in the combined thermal energy of the car and the road surface, we need to consider the initial and final states of the system. In this case, the car is skidding to a halt, which means it's experiencing a change in its kinetic energy.
The initial kinetic energy (KEi) of the car can be calculated using the formula:
KEi = 0.5 * mass * velocity^2
Substituting the given values:
KEi = 0.5 * 1596 kg * (24.91 m/s)^2
= 0.5 * 1596 * 620.1881
= 490,955.4048 J
Now, when the car skids to a halt, all its kinetic energy is converted into thermal energy due to friction between the car's tires and the road surface.
Therefore, the change in the combined thermal energy (ΔEth) of the car and the road surface is equal to the initial kinetic energy of the car (KEi):
ΔEth = KEi
= 490,955.4048 J
So, the change in the combined thermal energy of the car and the road surface is 490,955.4048 Joules.