Conservation of Energy Problem with friction

In summary, Fritz Strobl won the gold medal in the Salt Lake City games of 2002 with a daring run down an 880 meter alpine skiing course, reaching a top speed of 140 km/h. If he could have ignored forces like air resistance and friction, he would have been moving at 38.9 m/s. To calculate the energy lost due to these forces, we can use the equations for conservation of energy and work. If we imagine pushing the skier out of a plane without air resistance, he would reach a speed of 38.9 m/s and have an initial kinetic energy of E. However, at a speed of 140 km/h, his kinetic energy is e. The energy lost to
  • #1
Snape1830
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Fritz Strobl thrilled the world when he won the gold medal in the Salt Lake City games of 2002 in a daring run down an alpine skiing course. The course had a vertical drop of 880 meters. Assume his highest speed was 140 km/h, and that he was moving at that speed at the end. (a) How fast would he have been moving if he could have "ignored" forces like air resistance and friction? (b) How much energy did he lose to forces like air resistance, friction, and so forth (assume his mass is 80 kg, and express the answer as a positive number)?

So, I have that:
Δx = 880 m
vi=vf = 140 km/h = 38.9 m/s.
g = 9.8 m/s2

I known the equation for conservation of energy KEi +PEi = KEf+PEf

I also know that W= F*Δx*cosθ

I have no idea how to even start this problem. I do not know how to go about solving this. Please help! Thanks!
 
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  • #2
For the first part imagine you push the skier out of a plane which is 880 meters above the ground and he falls without air resistance. How fast will he be going when it hits the ground? What is his kinetic energy before he hits the ground? Call that energy E

For the second part calculate the skiers kinetic energy if he is going 140 km/h, call that energy e. The energy "lost" is E - e

Hope that helps.
 

Related to Conservation of Energy Problem with friction

1. What is the conservation of energy problem with friction?

The conservation of energy problem with friction refers to the fact that in a closed system, the total amount of energy remains constant, but some energy is lost due to friction. This means that the total energy at the beginning of a process may not be the same as the total energy at the end, since some energy is converted into heat due to friction.

2. How does friction affect the conservation of energy?

Friction converts some of the mechanical energy of a system into heat energy, which is a form of thermal energy. This means that the total energy of the system decreases, therefore affecting the conservation of energy. Friction can also cause energy to be dissipated in other forms, such as sound or light, further affecting the conservation of energy.

3. Can friction ever be beneficial for the conservation of energy?

While friction may seem like it always decreases the conservation of energy, it can actually be beneficial in some cases. For example, friction between the tires of a car and the road is necessary for the car to move forward. Without this friction, the car would not be able to transfer energy from the engine to the wheels and move.

4. How can we minimize the impact of friction on the conservation of energy?

To minimize the impact of friction on the conservation of energy, we can use lubricants to reduce the friction between two surfaces. This helps to decrease the amount of energy lost due to friction. Additionally, using smoother surfaces or reducing the weight of objects can also minimize the impact of friction on energy conservation.

5. Is the conservation of energy always violated by friction?

No, the conservation of energy is not always violated by friction. In fact, friction is necessary for many natural processes to occur. However, in some cases, the impact of friction on energy conservation may be significant and cannot be ignored. This is why it is important for scientists and engineers to take friction into consideration in their calculations and designs.

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