How to calculate motor force from power?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the motor force required for a car based on its power output. Participants explore the relationship between power, force, mass, and acceleration, considering both kinetic and potential energy changes. The context includes practical applications in a physics engine for game development.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant presents a method to calculate force based on motor power and energy changes, questioning how force should relate to mass.
  • Another participant argues that mass significantly affects acceleration, using examples of different vehicles with the same engine size to illustrate this point.
  • A participant states the relationship between power, force, and velocity, particularly in the context of steady motion.
  • Further clarification is provided on the relationship between power, torque, and angular velocity, emphasizing the need for specific motor data to resolve force calculations.
  • One participant expresses confusion about how motor force could depend on mass, suggesting that force should remain constant regardless of the vehicle's mass.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the relationship between motor force and mass, with some asserting that mass plays a crucial role in acceleration, while others question its relevance to the calculation of motor force. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the dependence of motor force on mass.

Contextual Notes

Participants discuss the implications of kinetic and potential energy changes on force calculations, indicating that the motor's role may vary depending on the scenario. There is also mention of the need for additional data on the motor and vehicle dynamics to fully resolve the calculations.

Ockonal
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There is car, that has motor with power P. From power I can calculate motor work per time:
A = P*\Delta t

P - power, A-work, \Delta t - time interval.

\Delta t and P are known (calculations are performing by discrete time steps).

Now, I want to calculate force F, that will produce car's moving. I.e. I need some function F=tadam(A).

My attempts to solve

If motor will change only kinetic energy E_k, calculations can be like this (assuming, that body not moving yet, i.e. v_1 = 0):

A = \Delta E_k = m*v_2^2/2 - m*v_1^2/2 = m*v_2^2/2

v_2 = \sqrt{2*A/m}

a = \frac{v_2-v_1}{\Delta t} = \frac{v2}{\Delta t} = \frac{\sqrt{2*A/m}}{\Delta t}

F = m*a = \frac{m*\sqrt{2*A/m}}{\Delta t} = \frac{\sqrt{2*A*m}}{\Delta t}

If motor will change only potential energy E_p, calculation can be like this:

A = \Delta E_p = m*g*\Delta h

A = F*\Delta h

F = m*g

But, these calculations are not that I need, because I feel, that F should not depend on mass. What difference for motor, which mass has the car? I think, that force should be equal in any case. Is my feeling wrong? Why?

Context: I am developing a game, using physics engine Box2D. There I know motor power, and need force, that I will apply to the car body, by call
Code:
car->applyForce(force)
.
 
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Ockonal said:
What difference for motor, which mass has the car?

Put a 1 litre engine in a Mini and it will accelerate to 100km/hr fairly quickly.
Put the same 1 litre engine engine in a Kenworth truck and it will hardly move.
The mass has a huge effect on acceleration.
 
Power = force x velocity
This gives you the relationship for a car moving at steady velocity.
 
Hello all, I am another author of the question.

DesmondD said:
Put a 1 litre engine in a Mini and it will accelerate to 100km/hr fairly quickly.
Put the same 1 litre engine engine in a Kenworth truck and it will hardly move.
The mass has a huge effect on acceleration.

DesmondD, yes, mass has a huge effect on acceleration, but what effect it has on motor force? If I put force 10H to body with mass = 1, it will has acceleration 10m/s^2 and if I put same force 10H to body with mass = 100, it will has acceleration 0.1m/s^2. I think, that motor *force* should not depend on mass. Am I wrong?

technician said:
Power = force x velocity
This gives you the relationship for a car moving at steady velocity.

technician, I believe that this formula is right, when motor changing only potential energy.

P = A/t = F*\Delta l / t = F * v

This formula based on fact, that work is F * \Delta l. But if body moving without resistance and without impact of another forces, motor will change velocity, i.e. kinetic energy. After that, body can pass billions of kilometers by inertia, and no work will be done at all. So, in this case F*v is meaningless.

p.s. In my case motor can change both, potential (moving car up) and kinetic (moving car forward) energies.
 
So far you have calculated the power and force required to accelerate the car or go up hills.

For a motor

Power = Torque x angular velocity.

You can choose:

Large torque & small angular velocity
or
Small torque & large angular velocity.

To resolve you need data on the motor, wheels gearbox etc.
 
CWatters said:
So far you have calculated the power and force required to accelerate the car or go up hills.

For a motor

Power = Torque x angular velocity.

You can choose:

Large torque & small angular velocity
or
Small torque & large angular velocity.

To resolve you need data on the motor, wheels gearbox etc.

Thanks, CWatters, that's the answer. Question is closed.
 

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