Calculate Speed of Crate on Incline using Work-Energy Principle

  • Thread starter kieran89
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In summary: The right side is the correct expression, so the left side must be negative.In summary, the crate of mass 10kg is accelerated up a rough incline with an initial speed of 1.5m/s. The pulling force is 100N at an angle of 20deg with the horizontal. The coefficient of kinetic friction is 0.40 and the crate is pulled a distance of 5.0m. Using the work-energy principle, the speed of the crate after 5m is calculated to be 2.5 m/s. The net force acting on the crate is found by equating the work done on the crate with the change in kinetic energy. The negative sign for the work done by friction indicates
  • #1
kieran89
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1. A crate of mass 10kg is accelerated up a rough incline with an initial speed of 1.5m/s. The pulling force is 100N parallel to the incline, which makes an angle of 20deg with the horizontal. The coefficient of kinetic friction is 0.40 and the crate is pulled a distance of 5.0m. Use the work-energy princple to calculate the speed of the crate after 5m.

Am I right or wrong?
2. KE1 + PE1 + Ffr*d = KE2 + PE2
Coefficient of Friction = Ffr/Fn
I got 36.83N for the force of friction.

From my working out I know I have the work done by friction but if i put it on the other side I will have a negative number in my final solution.
(therefore my equation below doesn't actually make sense to me, if I am understand correctly? I am saying with that equation that the inital energy includes friction energy!)

3.

KE1 + PE1 + Ffr*d = KE2 + PE2
=1/2 X 10 X 2.25 + 0 + 36.83 X 5 = 1/2 X 10 X v2 + 10 X 9.8 X 5sin20
=11.25 + 184.15 = 5v2 + 167.59
v2 =(195.4 – 167.59) / 5
v = sqrt(5.562)
= 2.538
v= 2.5 m s-1
 
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  • #2
First of all find the net force acting on the crate.
100 N up
mg*sin20...down
μ*mg*cos20...down. Find net force.
work down on the crate = Net force *displacement...(1)
Change in KE = 0.5*m*v2^2 - 0.5*m*v1^2...(2)
Equate 1 and 2 and solve for V2.
 
  • #3
Your expression has the wrong sign for the "work done by friction". This work is always negative because the displacement and the force are always at 180 degrees with respect to each other which makes the cosine of the angle between them - 1.

Another way to look at it: KE2 + PE2 must be less than KE1 + PE1 because some Joules are lost to friction. If the three terms on the left are all positive, then KE2 + PE2 is a greater number than KE1 + PE1.
 

Related to Calculate Speed of Crate on Incline using Work-Energy Principle

1. What is the Work-Energy Principle?

The Work-Energy Principle is a fundamental concept in physics that states that the work done on an object is equal to the change in its kinetic energy. In other words, the amount of work done on an object is directly related to the object's change in motion or speed.

2. How does the Work-Energy Principle relate to calculating speed of a crate on an incline?

When a crate is on an incline, the force of gravity is acting on it and causing it to move. The Work-Energy Principle allows us to calculate the speed of the crate by considering the work done by gravity and the change in the crate's kinetic energy.

3. What information is needed to calculate the speed of a crate on an incline using the Work-Energy Principle?

In order to use the Work-Energy Principle to calculate the speed of a crate on an incline, we need to know the mass of the crate, the height of the incline, and the angle of the incline. These values can be used to calculate the work done by gravity and the change in kinetic energy of the crate.

4. Can the Work-Energy Principle be used to calculate the speed of a crate on any incline?

Yes, the Work-Energy Principle can be used to calculate the speed of a crate on any incline, as long as the necessary information (mass, height, and angle) is known. It is a general principle that can be applied to various situations involving the movement of objects.

5. What are the limitations of using the Work-Energy Principle to calculate the speed of a crate on an incline?

The Work-Energy Principle assumes that there are no other external forces acting on the crate besides gravity. In reality, there may be other factors such as friction that can affect the speed of the crate. Additionally, the Work-Energy Principle does not take into account the shape or size of the crate, which may also affect its speed.

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