Question

At an amusement park, a 7.00 kg swimmer uses a water slide to enter the main pool. The swimmer starts at rest, slides without friction, and descends through a vertical height of 0.40 m. Find the total energy present when the swimmer is at the top of the slide.

Answer 1

27.44 J

Step-by-step explanation:

We can find the energy at the top of the slide by using the potential energy equation:

• PE = mgh

At the top of the slide, the swimmer has 0 kinetic energy and maximum potential energy.

The swimmer's mass is given as 7.00 kg.

The acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m/s².

The (vertical) height of the water slide is 0.40 m.

Substitute these values into the potential energy equation:

• PE = (7.00)(9.8)(0.40)
• PE = 27.44

Since there is 0 kinetic energy at the top of the slide, the total energy present is the swimmer's potential energy.

Therefore, the answer is 27.44 J of energy when the swimmer is at the top of the slide.