Grade 11 Physics

Question

An egg was dropped in a container and we need to find the force of air resistance acting on it.

Mass is 0.259kg

distance is 4.57m

time is 0.890s

Answer 1

The best you can do is find the average force of air resistance (It varies with v² in air, so it is not constant - it would require calculus to solve) by equating the work done by the air resistance to the loss of energy going from potential to kinetic, i.e:

E_PB = W_NC + E_KA where B means before event (falling), A means after (just before it hits) and W is the non-conservative work. (W = E_P-E_K)

E _PB = mgh using m,h given

E_KA = 1/2 mv² using the v, m given

The difference in these two will yield the W_NC = Fh (Force of air resistance time the distance travelled.