Question

while farming, a 500kg tractor pulls a plow at a s constant speed with a force of 41 Newtons for a distance of 50m. the trip takes 30 seconds.

a. what is the net force not the plow

b. calculate the work done on the plow by the tractor ( in Joules or Nm)

c. calculate the work kinetic energy of the tractor while it pulled the plow

Answer 1

m = 500 kg ; F = 41 N ; d = 50 m ; t = 30 s

Since it moves with a constant speed, a = 0.

a)Since the question did not talk about frictional forces and the gravity is already balanced by normal reaction. The net force on the plow is:

Fnet = 41 N

b)Work done is:

W = F x d

W = 41 x 50 = 2050 J

Hence, W = 2050 J

c)we know that,

v = d/t = 50/30 = 1.67 m/s

We know that the kinetic energy is given by:

KE = 1/2 m v^2 = 0.5 x 500 x 1.67^2 = 697.23 J

Hence, KE = 697.23 J