Calculating Horse Power Output for a Sled on an Inclined Hill

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the power output of a horse pulling a sled up an inclined hill, specifically focusing on the effects of friction and the sled's velocity. The problem involves concepts from mechanics, including forces, work, and energy transformations.

Discussion Character

  • Mixed

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore various methods to calculate power, including using force components, potential energy, and work done against friction. Some express uncertainty about the information needed to apply these concepts effectively.

Discussion Status

Several participants have shared their calculations and reasoning, with some providing specific values for forces and power. There is an ongoing exploration of different approaches, including the use of potential energy and work, but no consensus has been reached on the best method to apply.

Contextual Notes

Participants note constraints such as the lack of distance information for calculating work done against friction and the need to consider maximum power output during acceleration.

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Homework Statement



A sleigh and driver with a total mass of 130 kg are pulled up a hill with a 15 degree incline by a horse

If the overall retarding frictional force is 800 N and the sled moves up the hill with a constant velocity of 5.0 km/h,
what is the power output of the horse? (Express in horsepower, of course.)

Homework Equations



P=W/t
P=F*(v)

The Attempt at a Solution



I first converted the 5 km/h to m/s

5km/h = 1.389 m/s

Not sure what to do now. I know there is a retarding force of 800N and i know the velocity so i want to say i can find the force by the horse to travel at that velocity with that retarding force but I am not sure how. cause then i believe if that force is found i could multiply that by the velocity to get the power in watts then convert to horsepower.

thanks for any help :)
 
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it is a "block on a ramp, with friction" ; sum the force components parallel to the ramp.

or , see how much PE changes each second,
and how much Work is done against friction each second .
 
I think i am supposed to solve it using PE and Work because that is what my professor just went over.

The thing is i feel like i don't have enough information to find the Power.

I know potential energy is = m(g)(h)

Im just not sure how to apply that to this problem.

and to find the Work done against friction if the distance is not known how do i find this?

Would i use

W = change in kinetic energy

W = 1/2mv_f^2 - 1/2mv_i^2

v_i = 0 so

W = 1/2mv_f^2

Thanks for the help :)
 
I understand it using the component forces parallel to the incline.

I used: Ff + Fgx - Fh = 0

800 + 130(9.8)sin(15) = Fh

Fh = 1129.7

P = 1129.7(1.389)

P = 1569.2 watts or 2.1 horsepower.

But I would also really like to know how to use PE and W to find it though :) any tips?
 
Could i get some help with this next part. I thought i did it right but its wrong :(

Suppose that in a spurt of energy, the horse accelerates the sled uniformly from 5.0 km/h to 19 km/h in 6.0 s. What is the horse’s maximum instantaneous power output? Assume the same force of friction.

I found the acceleration

a = 5.278 - 1.389 / 6
a = 0.648

then i found the force of the horse (Fh)

Ff + Fgx - Fh = ma

800 + 130(9.8)sin15 - 130(0.648) = Fh

Fh = 1045.495

then i found the power

P = Fh * V_avg

P = 1045.495 ( 5.278 - 1.389 / 2)

P = 2032.96 W

P = 2.1 hp

that was wrong so i thought maybe since it says the max power output i thought to use just the velocity max so...

P = 1045.495(5.278) = 5518 W

P = 7.4 hp

but that was wrong also :(

Any suggestions? Thank you
 

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