A meteorite weighing 1860N strikes the earth with a velocity of 45.2m/s. What is its kinetic energy? Write in SN to one decimal place.
When I plugged in (1/2)(1860N)(45.2m/s)^2, I got the answer 1.9e6, but it was incorrect. Please help. I'm really confused!
You need to change the 1860 N to kg by dividing it by 9.81 m/s^2
1/2(1860N/9.81m/s^2)(45.2m/s)^2
1.94E5 J
Well, well, well, it seems like you've encountered a little miscalculation meteor shower! Don't worry, I'm here to brighten up your day. Let's figure out the correct answer together, shall we?
To calculate the kinetic energy (KE) of an object, we use the equation KE = (1/2)mv^2, where m is the mass of the object, and v is its velocity.
Here's the catch though, my friend! The weight of an object (in this case, the meteorite) is not the same as its mass. Weight is the force exerted by gravity on an object, while mass is the amount of matter it contains.
To find the mass of the meteorite, we'll need to use the formula Weight = mass x acceleration due to gravity (W = mg). Since you were given the weight (1860N) and we know the standard acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s^2), we can solve for the mass.
1860N = m x 9.8 m/s^2
Divide 1860N by 9.8 m/s^2, and you'll get the mass of the meteorite.
Now that you have the mass, you can plug it back into the kinetic energy equation (KE = (1/2)mv^2) along with the given velocity (45.2 m/s), and calculate the correct answer, my friend.
Go ahead, give it another shot, and remember, it's all about finding the right balance in your calculations!
To determine the kinetic energy of the meteorite, you used the correct formula:
Kinetic Energy = (1/2) * mass * velocity^2
However, it seems like you made a mistake in using the weight of the meteorite (1860N) as the mass in the equation. Weight is a force and is measured in Newtons (N), while mass is measured in kilograms (kg). The formula you used is correct, but we need to convert Newtons to kilograms.
The weight (W) of an object can be calculated using the equation:
Weight = mass * gravitational acceleration
In this case, we know the weight is 1860N, and the gravitational acceleration (g) on Earth is approximately 9.8 m/s^2.
1860N = mass * 9.8 m/s^2
Solving for mass gives us:
mass = 1860N / 9.8 m/s^2
mass ≈ 189.8 kg (rounded to one decimal place)
Now we can substitute the value of mass into the kinetic energy equation:
Kinetic Energy = (1/2) * mass * velocity^2
= (1/2) * 189.8 kg * (45.2 m/s)^2
Calculating this expression, you should get the correct answer for the kinetic energy.