tangibleLime
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Homework Statement
A 48.0 kg sprinter, starting from rest, runs 46.0 m in 7.30 s at constant acceleration.
a) What is the magnitude of the horizontal force acting on the sprinter?
b) What is the sprinter's power output at 1.70 s?
Homework Equations
x=x_0 + v_0 t + \frac{1}{2}at^2
\vec{F}=ma
v=v_0 + at
KE=\frac{1}{2}mv^2
P=\frac{\Delta E}{\Delta t}
The Attempt at a Solution
For part A, I first used x=x_0 + v_0 t + \frac{1}{2}at^2 to find the acceleration of the sprinter:
x=x_0 + v_0 t + \frac{1}{2}at^2
46=0 + 0(7.3) + \frac{1}{2}a(7.3)^2
a=1.726 m/s^2
With the acceleration, I stuck it into Newton's Second Law and found the force.
\vec{F}=ma
\vec{F}=48(1.726)
\vec{F}=82.9 N
My answer for part A was correct.
Part B is where I am having some difficulties. First I got the velocity of the runner at 1.7 sec:
v=v_0 + at
v=0 + (1.726)(1.7)
v=2.934 m/s
I then calculated the amount of work done by calculating the kinetic energy, which I used because the sprinter is running and in motion.
KE=\frac{1}{2}mv^2
KE=\frac{1}{2}(48)(2.934)^2
KE=206.6 J
Then to calculate power, I took the change in the kinetic energy (0 J to 206.6 J) and divided it by the change in time.
P=\frac{\Delta E}{\Delta t}
P=\frac{206.6}{1.7}
P=121.55 W
That answer was marked incorrect. I then tried to add the horizontal force (the answer to part A), which added up to 204.45 W and that was also incorrect.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.