A pole-vaulter just clears the bar at 5.34 m and falls back to the ground. The change in the vaulter's potential energy during the fall is -3.8E3 J. What is his weight?
To find the weight of the pole-vaulter, we can use the formula for potential energy:
Potential Energy = Weight × Height
Given that the change in potential energy during the fall is -3.8E3 J (negative because the vaulter falls down), and the height is 5.34 m, we can rearrange the formula to solve for weight:
Weight = Potential Energy / Height
Weight = -3.8E3 J / 5.34 m
Weight ≈ -711.3 N
The weight of the pole-vaulter is approximately -711.3 Newtons. The negative sign indicates that the weight acts downwards (towards the ground) due to the force of gravity.