Name: ________________________ Date: ___________

Physics I H Mr. Tiesler

Solutions to Work & Power Homework Problems 11-15

11.) How long will it take a 1750-W motor to lift a 315-kg piano to a sixth-story window 16.0 m
above?

The work necessary to lift the piano is the work done by an upward force, equal in magnitude to the
weight of the piano. Thus W  Fd cos 0o  mgh . The average power output required to lift the
piano is the work done divided by the time to lift the piano.

W mgh mgh  315 kg   9.80 m 

s 2 16.0 m 
P   t   28.2 s
t t P 1750 W

12.) If a car generates 18 hp when traveling at a steady 88 km/h what must be the average force
exerted on the car due to friction and air resistance?

The 18 hp is the power generated by the engine in creating a force on the ground to propel the car
W Fd d
forward. The relationship between the power and the force is given by P    F  Fv .
t t t
Thus the force to propel the car forward is found by F  P v . If the car has a constant velocity, then
the total resistive force must be of the same magnitude as the engine force, so that the net force is
zero. Thus the total resistive force is also found by F  P v .

P 18 hp  746 W 1 hp 
F   5.5  102 N
v  1m s 
 88 km h   
 3.6 km h 

13.) A 1400-kg sports car accelerates from rest to 95 km/h in 7.4 s. What is the average power
delivered by the engine?

The power is given by Eq. 6-16. The energy transformed is the change in kinetic energy of the car.
2
  1m s  
1400 kg   95 km h  
energy transformed KE 2 m  v2  v1 
2 2 
 3.6 km h  
1

P    
time t t 2  7.4 s 

 6.6  104 W  88 hp
14.) Electric energy units are often expressed in the form of “kilowatt-hours.” (a) Show that one
kilowatt-hour (kWh) is equal to 3.6x106 J (b) If a typical family of four uses electric energy at an
average rate of 520 W, how many kWh would their electric bill be for one month, and (c) how
many joules would this be? (d) At a cost of $0.12 per kWh, what would their monthly bill be in
dollars? Does the monthly bill depend on the rate at which they use the electric energy?

 1000 W  3600 s  1 J/s 

(a) 1 kW h  1 kW h      3.6 10 J
6

 1 kW  1 h  1 W 

 520 W 1 month    520 W 1 month  

1 kW  30 d  24 h 
(b)     374 kW h
 1000 W  1 month  1 d 

 370 kW h

 3.6  106 J 
(c) 374 kW h  374 kW h    1.3  109 J
 1 kW h 

 374 kW h  
$0.12 
(d)   $44.88  $45
 1 kW h 

Kilowatt-hours is a measure of energy, not power, and so no, the actual rate at which the energy is
used does not figure into the bill. They could use the energy at a constant rate, or at a widely varying
rate, and as long as the total used is 370 kilowatt-hours, the price would be $45.

15.) A driver notices that her 1150-kg car slows down from 85 km/h to 65 km/h in about 6.0 s on
the level when it is in neutral. Approximately what power (watts and hp) is needed to keep the
car traveling at a constant 75 km/h?

The energy transfer from the engine must replace the lost kinetic energy. From the two speeds,

calculate the average rate of loss in kinetic energy while in neutral.

 1m s   1m s 
v1  85 km h    23.61m s v2  65 km h    18.06 m s
 3.6 km h   3.6 km h 
KE  12 mv22  12 mv12  1150 kg  18.06 m s    23.61m s    1.330 105 J
1 2 2
2

1.330  105 J
P
W
t

6.0 s

 2.216  10 4 W , or 2.216  10 4 W  746
1 hp
W
 29.71 hp

So 2.2 104 W or 3.0 101 hp is needed from the engine.