The water passing over Victoria Falls, located along the Zambezi River on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia, drops about 109 m. How much internal energy is produced per kg as a result of the fall?
kj/kg
To calculate the internal energy produced per kg as a result of the fall, we need to consider the potential energy converted into internal energy.
The potential energy (PE) of an object at a certain height is given by the equation:
PE = m * g * h
Where:
m = mass of the object (in this case, 1 kg)
g = acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s^2)
h = height (in this case, 109 m)
Therefore, the potential energy of the water falling is:
PE = 1 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 * 109 m
Next, we need to consider the conversion of potential energy to internal energy. Not all of the potential energy is converted into internal energy due to other factors like air resistance and the formation of kinetic energy during the fall.
Let's assume that 50% of the potential energy is converted into internal energy. You can adjust this value depending on the specific circumstances and efficiency of the fall. So, we have:
Internal Energy (IE) = 0.5 * PE
Now, let's calculate the internal energy:
IE = 0.5 * (1 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 * 109 m)
Calculating the above expression will give us the value of internal energy produced per kg as a result of the fall, expressed in joules (J). To convert this to kilojoules (kJ), we need to divide by 1000:
IE = (0.5 * (1 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 * 109 m)) / 1000
Simplifying this expression will give you the final answer in kilojoules per kilogram (kJ/kg).