A child slides down a playground slide. If the slide is 3m high and the child weights 300N.

Question

1. How much mechanical energy does the child have?
2. What is the final velocity of the child when they reach the bottom?

Please show work, of how you found the mechanical energy.

Answer 1

1 Child has potential energy E = Wh = 300N·3m = 900 J

2.By conservation of energy potential energy changed to kinetic energy, so

mv²/2 = E; v = √2Eg/W) = √2·900J·9.8m/s²/300N) = 7.67 m/s