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When exiting the highway, a 1100-kg car is traveling at 22 m/s. The car's kinetic energy decreases by 1.4×105J The exit's speed limit is 35 mi/h. Did the driver reduce its speed enough?

User Kugel
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2 Answers

4 votes

Answer: The final velocity is 33.78 mi/h, so the driver did reduced his speed enough.

Explanation: The kinetic energy of an object can be calculated as:

K = (1/2)m*v^2

We know that the mass of the car is m=1100kg

and the initial velocity is 22m/s

The initial kinetic energy is:

K = (1/2)*1100*(22)^2 = 266,200 joules.

Now, if the kinetic energy decreases by 1.4x10^5 J, the new kinetic energy is:

K = 266,200j - 140,000j = 126,200j

So we now can find the new velocity in m/s.

126,200 = (1/2)*1100*v^2

126,200*2/1100 = v^2

229.45 = v^2

v = (229.45)^(1/2) = 15.1 m/s

We know that the limit is 35 mi/h, so we need to transform our result into miles per hour.

We know that in one hour, there are 3600 seconds, so the velocity per hour is:

15.1*3600 m/h = 54,360 m/h

and we know that one mile is 1609.34 meters, so we need to divide by 1609.34.

v = (54,360/1609.34) mi/h = 33.78 mi/h

this is less than the speed limit, so the driver reduced his speed enough.

User Jeremy Bell
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5 votes
I think you want to determine the exit speed?

You have to determine how much velocity was decreased by calculating it from the kinetic energy.

KE = (1/2)mv²
1.4 x 10^5 = (1/2)*(1100)v²
v² = 254.55
v =15.95 m/s

So the velocity reduces by 15.95 m/s. Subtracting this to the initial velocity: 22 - 15.95 = 6.05 m/s.

So, the final speed was 6.05 m/s.

I hope I was able to help :)
User Unifreak
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