Question

A 2.2 kg brick is dropped from a height of 1.0 m onto a small nail stuck vertically in a piece of wood. Assuming the nail does not move in to a large extent, how much heat is produced in the system when the block hits and sticks onto the top of the nail. (You can assume all of the energy becomes thermal energy gained by the nail.

Answer 1

The heat produced when a 2.2 kg brick is dropped from a height of 1.0 m onto a nail is calculated by finding the gravitational potential energy at the starting height and assuming it is entirely converted to thermal energy on impact, yielding 21.582 Joules.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student is asking about the conversion of gravitational potential energy into thermal energy when a brick falls and hits a nail. To calculate the heat produced, we use the principle of conservation of energy. The potential energy (PE) before the brick falls will entirely be converted to thermal energy (Q) upon impact since it's given that the nail does not move significantly.

The gravitational potential energy can be calculated using the formula PE = mgh, where m is the mass of the brick, g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s2), and h is the height from which the brick is dropped.

PE = 2.2 kg * 9.81 m/s2 * 1.0 m = 21.582 J

This potential energy will be transformed into thermal energy when the brick hits the nail.

Therefore, the amount of heat produced in the system is 21.582 Joules.