# Power concept related to gravity, constant speed, and air resistance

## Homework Statement

An object weighting 100N is traveling vertically upward from the earth in the absence of air resistance at a constant velocity of 5 m/s. What is the power required to keep the object in motion?

## Homework Equations

P = ΔE/t and P = Fvcosθ

## The Attempt at a Solution

The explanation given in TPR(the princeton review book) is: since the object's velocity is upward and constant and the force necessary to propel the object is also upward and constant we may use the equation: P = Fv = 100N(5) = 500W.

What I don't understand is this: If the velocity is constant, then the force should be zero, and that should make the Power zero too, right?

tiny-tim
Homework Helper
Welcome to PF!

Hi Jmedz4nights! Welcome to PF!
If the velocity is constant, then the force should be zero, and that should make the Power zero too, right?

If the velocity is constant, then the total force (net force) is zero …

so the total power is zero,

but that's non-zero applied power,

and equal and opposite non-zero gravitational power!

The question is only asking for the applied power.

Thank you tiny-tim! Where in the question stem do you infer applied power, though?

tiny-tim