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An escalator is used to move 20 passengers every 60s from the first floor of a department store to the second. The second floor is located above the first floor. The average passenger's mass is 54.9 kg. Determine the power requirement of the escalator in order to move this number of passengers in this amount of time

An escalator is used to move 20 passengers every 60s from the first floor of a department-example-1

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From the information given,

The average passenger's mass is 54.9 kg

Force exerted by each passenger = weight of passenger = mg

where

m = mass = 54.9

g = acceleration due to gravity = 9.8m/s^2

Force = weight = 54.9 x 9.8 = 538.02 N

We would determine the work done in moving one passenger. The formula for calculating work is

work = force x distance

distance = 5.2

Work = 538.02 x 5.2 = 2797.704 J

Work done in moving 20 passengers = 2797.704 x 20 = 55954.08

Recall,

Power = work/time

Given that time = 60s,

Power = 55954.08/60

Power = 933 W

the power requirement of the escalator in order to move this number of passengers in this amount of time is 933 W

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