Kinetic and Potential Energy on Ramps

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a problem involving kinetic and potential energy in the context of an object moving up an inclined ramp with friction. The original poster presents a scenario where a mass is given an initial velocity and must determine the distance traveled before coming to a stop.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the relationship between kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy, and work done against friction. There are attempts to set up equations based on energy conservation principles, with some questioning the treatment of frictional work and its impact on the total energy.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the problem, offering insights into the need to account for friction and the conversion of energy types. There is a focus on understanding how to relate the vertical height gained to the distance traveled along the ramp, with no consensus reached yet.

Contextual Notes

There is an emphasis on the geometry of the ramp and the need to apply trigonometric functions to relate vertical height to the distance along the ramp. The original poster has not provided specific values for friction or the mass, which may affect the discussion.

captdestiny
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Homework Statement



I don't want to tell the problem I just want to know how to solve it.
There is a mass and a velocity and the ramp is inclined let's say 30 degrees.
The object is going up the ramp with a force of friction opposing it. Find the distance the object travels before stopping.

Homework Equations



W = F (d)
Eg = mgh
Ek = 1/2(mv^2)

The Attempt at a Solution


let m = 5
let v = 10


Ek = 1/2(5(10^2))
= 250 J

W = 250 J
250J = 4(d) ?
62.5 = d ?


Something wrong I am doing, all help is gratefully apppreciated.
 
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Part of the kinetic energy is lost due to friction, and part is converted to gravitational potential energy.
Ef - Ei = -Fd = mgh - (1/2)mv^2
 
Yes you did forget to subtract the frictional work from the original kinetic energy but once you find the vertical height the object rises you have to use the given angle to find how far up the ramp it will go.
 
Yes you do subtract and then set the answer equal to mgh, the potential energy and then solve for the vertical height. But this isn't the answer to the question. The object moves up a ramp, not straight up so you have to draw the triangle showing the vertical height which you now know, the angle the ramp makes with the horizontal, which you given and then use the appropriate trig function to solve for the ramp which is the hypotenuse of the triangle.
 

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