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3 votes
3 votes
A 50 kg bobsled slides down an ice track

starting (at zero initial speed) from the top of
a(n) 173 m high hill.
The acceleration of gravity is 9.8 m/s^2.
Neglect friction and air resistance and determine the bobsled’s speed at the bottom of
the hill.
Answer in units of m/s.

User Sam Lu
by
2.6k points

1 Answer

25 votes
25 votes

Hi there!

We can use the following kinematic equation:


v_f^2 = v_i^2 + 2ad

The initial velocity is 0 m/s, so:


v_f^2 = 2ad

vf = final velocity (? m/s)
a = acceleration due to gravity (g)
d = vertical height (m)

Plug in the givens and solve:


v_f = √(2gd) = √(2(9.8)(173)) = \boxed{58.23 (m)/(s)}

User Mckoss
by
2.7k points