Final answer:
The exact force acting on a wind turbine cannot be calculated without knowing the diameter of the turbine. By using the equations for wind power and the relationship between power and force, one could calculate the force if the diameter were provided.
Step-by-step explanation:
The force acting on a wind turbine by the wind can be calculated by using the formula for wind power and then relating it to the force through power's definition. The power extracted by a wind turbine is given by:
P = (1/2) • ρ • A • v^3 • ε
Where P is the power, ρ is the air density, A is the area of the turbine swept by the blades, v is the wind speed, and ε is the efficiency.
However, the force F on the turbine is related to the power by the equation:
P = F • v
So if we combine these two equations we get:
F = (1/2) • ρ • A • v^2 • ε
Assuming the turbine is 100% efficient (ε = 1), we can plug in the given values ρ = 1.2 kg/m^3, v = 12 m/s, and calculate A using the diameter of the turbine. Please note, the diameter of the turbine is not provided in the original question, thus we cannot calculate the exact force. However, we can give an approach to solve the equation.
If the diameter (d) were provided, we'd use the formula A = π • (d/2)^2 to get the swept area and then calculate the force.
Without the exact diameter, we cannot specify whether the answer is 5 N, 15 N, 50 N, or 150 N. The question appears to be missing necessary data to calculate the force specifically.