Question

A seagull flying horizontally at 8.00m/s carries a clam with a mass of 300g in its beak. Calculate the total mechanical energy of the clam when the seagull is 30.0m abouve the ground.

Answer 1

The total mechanical energy of the clam when the seagull is 30.0 m above the ground is 97.8 Joules

Step-by-step explanation:

Given:

Mass = 300 g

speed = 8.00 m/s

Height = 30.0 m

To Find:

Total mechanical energy of the clam = ?

Solution:

The total mechanical energy is the sum of the kinetic energy of the clam and its potential energy

Kinetic energy,
`E_K = (1)/(2)mv^2`

Where m is the mass and v is the velocity

Potential energy,
`E_P = mgh`

where

m is the mass

g is the gravitational constant and h is the height

Then

Mechanical energy
`E_M = (1)/(2)mv^2 +mgh`

Converting g to kg we have

300 gram = 0.3 kg

On substituting the values,

`E_M = (1)/(2)(0.3)(8.00)^2 +(0.3)( 9.8) (30.0)`

`E_M = (1)/(2)(19.2) + 88.2`

`E_M = 9.6 + 88.2`

`E_M = 97.8 J`