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A model airplane is flying at a speed of 23.1 m/s on a horizontal circle of radius

18.7 m. The mass of the plane is 0.931 kg. The person holding the guideline pulls it until the radius of the circle becomes
14.7 m. The plane speeds up, and the tension in the guideline becomes four times greater. What is the net work done on the plane?

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

The net work done on the model airplane cannot be calculated without the final speed of the airplane after the radius of its circular path is decreased.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question you're asking is related to Physics, in particular the concepts of work and centripetal force in the context of a model airplane flying in a horizontal circle. When the radius of the circle is decreased, the tension in the guideline required to keep the airplane in circular motion increases, an indication that a net force has acted on the airplane. However, the net work done can only be calculated if the change in kinetic energy of the airplane is known, as work is the transfer of energy. Since the question does not provide the final speed of the airplane after the radius of the circle is reduced and the tension increases, we cannot calculate the net work done on the airplane without additional information.

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