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Ch 09: Work and Kinetic Energy
Chapter 9, Problem 9

A 50 kg ice skater is gliding along the ice, heading due north at 4.0 m/s. The ice has a small coefficient of static friction, to prevent the skater from slipping sideways, but μₖ = 0. Suddenly, a wind from the northeast exerts a force of 4.0 N on the skater. (a) Use work and energy to find the skater's speed after gliding 100 m in this wind.

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1
Identify the forces acting on the skater: The force due to wind and the kinetic friction force. Since the coefficient of kinetic friction (μₖ) is 0, the frictional force is zero.
Resolve the wind force into components relative to the skater's direction of motion. The wind is from the northeast, so it has both northward and westward components. Use trigonometry to find the component of the wind force that is parallel to the skater's motion (northward).
Calculate the work done by the wind on the skater. Work done (W) is given by the formula W = F × d × cos(θ), where F is the force, d is the distance over which the force is applied, and θ is the angle between the force and the direction of motion.
Use the work-energy theorem, which states that the total work done on an object is equal to its change in kinetic energy. The kinetic energy (KE) is given by KE = 0.5 × m × v², where m is the mass and v is the velocity.
Set up the equation for the final kinetic energy, taking into account the initial kinetic energy and the work done by the wind. Solve for the final velocity (v_f) using the equation derived from the work-energy principle.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Work-Energy Principle

The Work-Energy Principle states that the work done on an object is equal to the change in its kinetic energy. In this scenario, the wind exerts a force on the skater, doing work on her as she glides. This work will increase her kinetic energy, which can be calculated using the formula W = F × d, where W is work, F is the force applied, and d is the distance over which the force acts.
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Kinetic Energy

Kinetic energy is the energy an object possesses due to its motion, given by the formula KE = 0.5 × m × v², where m is mass and v is velocity. In this problem, the skater's initial kinetic energy can be calculated using her mass and initial speed. After the wind does work on her, her final kinetic energy will reflect her increased speed, allowing us to find the new velocity.
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Friction and Motion

Friction is a force that opposes the relative motion of two surfaces in contact. In this case, the coefficient of kinetic friction is given as zero, indicating that there is no frictional force acting against the skater's motion. This means that the only force affecting her speed is the wind, allowing her to accelerate without any resistance from the ice.
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