Question

An engine rated at 5.0 3 104 watts exerts a constant force of 2.5 3 103 newtons on a vehicle. Determine the average speed of the vehicle.

Answer 1

Given data:

* The power of the engine is,

`P=5*10^4\text{ watts}`

* The force exerted by the engine is,

`F=2.5*10^3\text{ N}`

Solution:

The power of the engine in terms of force and average speed is,

`P=Fv`

where v is the average speed,

Substituting the known values,

`\begin{gathered} 5*10^4=2.5*10^3* v \\ v=(5*10^4)/(2.5*10^3) \\ v=2*10^(4-3) \\ v=20\text{ m/s} \end{gathered}`

Thus, the average speed of the vehicle is 20 meters per second.