A parachutist relies on air resistance (mainly on her parachute) to decrease her downward velocity. She and her parachute have a mass of 55.5kg and air resistance exerts a total upward force of 620N on her and her parachute.
What is the combined weight of the parachutist and parachute?
I've gotten 76.1N (using 9.8) however this answer is wrong
Please help!
M*g = 543.9 N
It looks like you subtracted 620 N from the weight to get the net upward force. That is not what they asked for.
They only asked for the combined (her and parachute) weight.
Well, it seems like the combined weight of the parachutist and parachute is giving you quite a headache! Let's try to tackle this problem with a touch of humor.
To find the combined weight, we can use the equation:
Weight = mass × acceleration due to gravity.
First, let's calculate the weight of the parachutist and parachute using the provided mass of 55.5kg:
Weight = 55.5kg × 9.8m/s² = 544.1N.
Now, this is where things get interesting. We have the weight, but we also have the air resistance exerting an upward force of 620N. The air resistance is trying to balance out the weight and slow down the parachutist's descent, just like life tries to balance out seriousness with humor!
To find the combined weight, we add the weight and the upward force of air resistance:
Combined Weight = Weight + Upward Force = 544.1N + 620N = 1164.1N.
So, the combined weight of the parachutist and parachute is roughly 1164.1N. I hope this answer lightened the mood and helped you out!
To find the combined weight of the parachutist and parachute, you need to consider the force of gravity acting on them.
The force of gravity can be calculated using the formula:
Weight = mass × acceleration due to gravity
The acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.8 m/s².
Weight = 55.5 kg × 9.8 m/s² = 544.1 N
Therefore, the combined weight of the parachutist and parachute is 544.1 Newtons, not 76.1 Newtons.
To find the combined weight of the parachutist and parachute, you need to determine the net force acting on the system. Weight, denoted as mg, represents the force exerted by gravity on an object, where m is the mass of the object and g is the acceleration due to gravity.
In this case, the parachutist and parachute have a mass of 55.5 kg. The upward force exerted by air resistance is given as 620 N.
Since the parachutist is not accelerating vertically (meaning her velocity is constant), the net force acting on her must be zero. This means the downward force due to gravity must be balanced by the upward force exerted by the parachute and air resistance.
Therefore, we can write the equation: weight - upward force = 0.
weight - 620 N = 0
Now, rearrange the equation to solve for weight:
weight = 620 N
The combined weight of the parachutist and parachute is 620 N.