Question

A diver weighting 600N is on a platform that is 8m above a diving pool. What else do you need to know about the diver to calculate his mechanical energy as he approaches the edge of the platform?

A) The diver's mass
B) The platform's height
C) The diver's speed at the edge of the platform
D) The depth of the diving pool

Answer 1

To calculate the diver's mechanical energy at the edge of the platform, we need to know the diver’s speed at the edge of the platform, as the diver's weight and platform's height are already given.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the mechanical energy of a diver as he approaches the edge of the platform, we need to know both the diver’s gravitational potential energy (which depends on the height of the platform and the diver’s weight or mass) and kinetic energy (which depends on the diver's speed). Since the diver's weight (600N) and the platform's height (8m) are given, to calculate his total mechanical energy at the edge of the platform, we need to know the diver's speed (C) at the edge of the platform.

The diver's mass (A) is not needed in this case because we already have the weight, which is the product of mass and gravity. The platform's height (B) is already given, and the depth of the diving pool (D) is irrelevant to the calculation of mechanical energy.