Final answer:
The helicopter is using approximately 291.06 horsepower of work energy to lift a 800lb unit at a rate of 200 feet per minute.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks how many horsepower of work energy is the helicopter using to lift a 800lb unit at a rate of 200 feet per minute. To find the work energy, we can use the formula:
Work = Force x Distance
First, we need to convert the unit of force from pounds to Newtons using the conversion factor: 1lb = 4.44822N. Therefore, the force exerted by the helicopter is: 800lb x 4.44822N/lb = 3558.58N.
Next, we need to convert the unit of distance from feet to meters using the conversion factor: 1ft = 0.3048m. Therefore, the distance travelled by the helicopter is: 200ft x 0.3048m/ft = 60.96m.
Now we can calculate the work energy:
Work = 3558.58N x 60.96m = 217100.15 Nm = 217100.15 Joules
Lastly, we can convert the work energy from Joules to horsepower using the conversion factor: 1 horsepower = 745.7 Joules/second. Therefore, the work energy in horsepower is: 217100.15 Joules / 745.7 Joules/second ≈ 291.06 horsepower.