| Step | Derivation / Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[\Delta t = 15\,\text{min}\times60\,\text{s min}^{-1}=900\,\text{s}\] | Convert the riding time to seconds so it matches the \(\text{W}=\text{J s}^{-1}\) unit of power. |
| 2 | \[W_{\text{mech}} = P_{\text{mech}}\,\Delta t = 480\,\text{W}\times900\,\text{s}=4.32\times10^{5}\,\text{J}\] | Mechanical work done equals mechanical power \(P_{\text{mech}}\) multiplied by time \(\Delta t\). |
| 3 | \[E_{\text{chem}} = \frac{W_{\text{mech}}}{\text{eff}} = \frac{4.32\times10^{5}\,\text{J}}{0.25}=1.728\times10^{6}\,\text{J}\] | Because the body is only \(25\%\) efficient, chemical energy “burned” is the mechanical energy divided by the efficiency. |
| 4 | \[\text{Calories} = \frac{1.728\times10^{6}\,\text{J}}{4184\,\text{J Cal}^{-1}}\approx4.13\times10^{2}\,\text{Cal}\] | Convert joules to dietary Calories using \(1\,\text{Cal}=4184\,\text{J}\). |
| 5 | \[\boxed{\;\approx410\,\text{Cal}\;}\] | This is the rounded value that best matches the given choices. |
Why the other answers are incorrect: (a) and (b) ignore the body’s inefficiency, (d) and (e) both overestimate the energy by assuming even larger power or time than stated. Only (c) correctly includes the 25 % efficiency factor.
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A satellite in circular orbit around the Earth moves at constant speed. This orbit is maintained by the force of gravity between the Earth and the satellite, yet no work is done on the satellite. How is this possible?

A \( 4700 \, \text{kg} \) truck carrying a \( 900 \, \text{kg} \) crate is traveling at \( 25 \, \text{m/s} \) to the right along a straight, level highway, as shown above. The truck driver then applies the brakes, and as it slows down, the truck travels \( 55 \, \text{m} \) in the next \( 3.0 \, \text{s} \). The crate does not slide on the back of the truck.
| Speed | \( 10 \, \mathrm{m/s} \) | \( 20 \, \mathrm{m/s} \) | \( 30 \, \mathrm{m/s} \) |
| Braking Distance | \( 6.1 \, \mathrm{m} \) | \( 23.9 \, \mathrm{m} \) | \( 53.5 \, \mathrm{m} \) |
A car of mass \( 1500 \, \mathrm{kg} \) is traveling at one of the speeds listed when the brakes are first applied. Using the data above, what is the magnitude of the average braking force required to stop the car?
A \(2 \, \text{kg}\) model rocket is launched with a thrust force of \(275 \, \text{N}\) and reaches a height of \(90 \, \text{m}\), at which point the thrust cuts out, but the rocket continues moving at \(150 \, \text{m/s}\). What is the average air resistance force acting on the rocket during its ascent?
A child pushes horizontally on a box of mass m with constant speed v across a rough horizontal floor. The coefficient of friction between the box and the floor is µ. At what rate does the child do work on the box?
In a town’s water system, pressure gauges in still water at street level read \( 150 \) \( \text{kPa} \). If a pipeline connected to the system breaks and shoots water straight up, how high above the street does the water shoot?
A \( 50 \) \( \text{g} \) ice cube can slide up and down a frictionless \( 30^{\circ}\) slope. At the bottom, a spring with spring constant \( 25 \) \( \text{N/m} \) is compressed \( 10 \) \( \text{cm} \) and is used to launch the ice cube up the slope. How high does it go above its starting point? Express your answer with the appropriate units.
A kickball is rolled by the pitcher at a speed of 10 m/s and it is kicked by another student. The kickball deforms a little during the kick, and then rebounds with a velocity of 15 m/s as its shape restores to a perfect sphere. Select all that must be true about the kickball and the kicking foot system.
A spring with a spring constant of \( 50. \) \( \text{N/m} \) is hanging from a stand. A second spring with a spring constant of \( 100. \) \( \text{N/m} \) is hanging from the first spring. How far do they stretch if a \( 0.50 \) \( \text{kg} \) mass is hung from the bottom spring?
Two balls are dropped from the roof of a building. One ball has twice as massive as the other and air resistance is negligible. Just before hitting the ground, the more massive ball has ball ____ the kinetic energy of the less massive ball.
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| Kinematics | Forces |
|---|---|
| \(\Delta x = v_i t + \frac{1}{2} at^2\) | \(F = ma\) |
| \(v = v_i + at\) | \(F_g = \frac{G m_1 m_2}{r^2}\) |
| \(v^2 = v_i^2 + 2a \Delta x\) | \(f = \mu N\) |
| \(\Delta x = \frac{v_i + v}{2} t\) | \(F_s =-kx\) |
| \(v^2 = v_f^2 \,-\, 2a \Delta x\) |
| Circular Motion | Energy |
|---|---|
| \(F_c = \frac{mv^2}{r}\) | \(KE = \frac{1}{2} mv^2\) |
| \(a_c = \frac{v^2}{r}\) | \(PE = mgh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{r}{g}}\) | \(KE_i + PE_i = KE_f + PE_f\) |
| \(W = Fd \cos\theta\) |
| Momentum | Torque and Rotations |
|---|---|
| \(p = mv\) | \(\tau = r \cdot F \cdot \sin(\theta)\) |
| \(J = \Delta p\) | \(I = \sum mr^2\) |
| \(p_i = p_f\) | \(L = I \cdot \omega\) |
| Simple Harmonic Motion | Fluids |
|---|---|
| \(F = -kx\) | \(P = \frac{F}{A}\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}\) | \(P_{\text{total}} = P_{\text{atm}} + \rho gh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}\) | \(Q = Av\) |
| \(x(t) = A \cos(\omega t + \phi)\) | \(F_b = \rho V g\) |
| \(a = -\omega^2 x\) | \(A_1v_1 = A_2v_2\) |
| Constant | Description |
|---|---|
| [katex]g[/katex] | Acceleration due to gravity, typically [katex]9.8 , \text{m/s}^2[/katex] on Earth’s surface |
| [katex]G[/katex] | Universal Gravitational Constant, [katex]6.674 \times 10^{-11} , \text{N} \cdot \text{m}^2/\text{kg}^2[/katex] |
| [katex]\mu_k[/katex] and [katex]\mu_s[/katex] | Coefficients of kinetic ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) and static ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) friction, dimensionless. Static friction ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) is usually greater than kinetic friction ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) as it resists the start of motion. |
| [katex]k[/katex] | Spring constant, in [katex]\text{N/m}[/katex] |
| [katex] M_E = 5.972 \times 10^{24} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Earth |
| [katex] M_M = 7.348 \times 10^{22} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Moon |
| [katex] M_M = 1.989 \times 10^{30} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Sun |
| Variable | SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]s[/katex] (Displacement) | [katex]\text{meters (m)}[/katex] |
| [katex]v[/katex] (Velocity) | [katex]\text{meters per second (m/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]a[/katex] (Acceleration) | [katex]\text{meters per second squared (m/s}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]t[/katex] (Time) | [katex]\text{seconds (s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]m[/katex] (Mass) | [katex]\text{kilograms (kg)}[/katex] |
| Variable | Derived SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]F[/katex] (Force) | [katex]\text{newtons (N)}[/katex] |
| [katex]E[/katex], [katex]PE[/katex], [katex]KE[/katex] (Energy, Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy) | [katex]\text{joules (J)}[/katex] |
| [katex]P[/katex] (Power) | [katex]\text{watts (W)}[/katex] |
| [katex]p[/katex] (Momentum) | [katex]\text{kilogram meters per second (kgm/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\omega[/katex] (Angular Velocity) | [katex]\text{radians per second (rad/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\tau[/katex] (Torque) | [katex]\text{newton meters (Nm)}[/katex] |
| [katex]I[/katex] (Moment of Inertia) | [katex]\text{kilogram meter squared (kgm}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]f[/katex] (Frequency) | [katex]\text{hertz (Hz)}[/katex] |
Metric Prefixes
Example of using unit analysis: Convert 5 kilometers to millimeters.
Start with the given measurement: [katex]\text{5 km}[/katex]
Use the conversion factors for kilometers to meters and meters to millimeters: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}}[/katex]
Perform the multiplication: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}} = 5 \times 10^3 \times 10^3 \, \text{mm}[/katex]
Simplify to get the final answer: [katex]\boxed{5 \times 10^6 \, \text{mm}}[/katex]
Prefix | Symbol | Power of Ten | Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
Pico- | p | [katex]10^{-12}[/katex] | 0.000000000001 |
Nano- | n | [katex]10^{-9}[/katex] | 0.000000001 |
Micro- | µ | [katex]10^{-6}[/katex] | 0.000001 |
Milli- | m | [katex]10^{-3}[/katex] | 0.001 |
Centi- | c | [katex]10^{-2}[/katex] | 0.01 |
Deci- | d | [katex]10^{-1}[/katex] | 0.1 |
(Base unit) | – | [katex]10^{0}[/katex] | 1 |
Deca- or Deka- | da | [katex]10^{1}[/katex] | 10 |
Hecto- | h | [katex]10^{2}[/katex] | 100 |
Kilo- | k | [katex]10^{3}[/katex] | 1,000 |
Mega- | M | [katex]10^{6}[/katex] | 1,000,000 |
Giga- | G | [katex]10^{9}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000 |
Tera- | T | [katex]10^{12}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000,000 |
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