Final answer:
To find the mass of the squirrel, we can use the formula for kinetic energy and rearrange it to solve for mass. Plugging in the values given in the question, the mass of the squirrel is 1.6 kg. Therefore the correct answer is d. 1.6 kg.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the mass of the squirrel, we can use the formula for kinetic energy:
KE = (1/2) * mass * velocity^2
Given that the squirrel has a kinetic energy of 25 J and a velocity of 9.9 m/s, we can rearrange the formula to solve for mass:
mass = (2 * KE) / velocity^2
Plugging in the values, we get:
mass = (2 * 25) / (9.9^2) = 1.6 kg
So the correct answer is d. 1.6 kg.
Dependence on Mass and Velocity: Kinetic energy is directly proportional to the mass of the object. A heavier object with the same velocity will possess more kinetic energy compared to a lighter object.
Moreover, kinetic energy is directly proportional to the square of the velocity. This means that a doubling of the velocity results in a fourfold increase in kinetic energy.
Units: The SI unit of kinetic energy is the joule (J). It can also be expressed in terms of other units, such as kilogram-meter squared per second squared (kg·m²/s²).