An object has a mass of 2 kg. The object's kinetic energy uniformly changes from 32 KJ to 72 KJ over t in [0, 4 s]. What is the average speed of the object?

1 Answer
Apr 8, 2016

"Initial KE"=(E_i)=32kJ=32xx10^3J

After 4s

"Final KE"=(E_f)=72kJ=72xx10^3J

KE uniformly increases, so it will have a constant positive slope when plotted against time and this slope will be (Delta E)/(Deltat)=(E_f- E_i)/(Delta t)=((72-32)xx10^3)/4=10^4J/s

,"where "Delta t=4s

If at t th instant ( t in [0,4]) the velocity of the mass be v then the KE at t th instant

E_t=1/2xxmxxv^2=1/2xx2xxv^2=v^2

",where mass "m= 2kg

Now (E_t-E_i)/(t-0)=(v^2-32xx10^3)/(t-0)=10^4

=>v^2=10^4xxt+32xx10^3

=>v=sqrt(10^4xxt+32xx10^3)

=sqrt(10^4(t+3.2))

=10^2sqrt(t+3.2)

Now distance traversed during 4 s

S=int_0 ^4vdt=int_0 ^4 10^2(sqrt(t+3.2))dt

Let z^2=t+3.2

2zdz=dt

when t=0; then z =sqrt3.2
when t=4; then z =sqrt7.2

S=int_0 ^4vdt=int_0 ^4 10^2(sqrt(t+3.2))dt

S =int_(sqrt(3.2))^(sqrt7.2) 10^2xx2z^2dz

=int_(sqrt(3.2)) ^(sqrt7.2) 200xxz^2dz

=200/3xx[(sqrt7.2)^3-(sqrt3.2)^3]m

Hence the average speed ="distance" /"time"=S/4

=200/3xx[(sqrt7.2)^3-(sqrt3.2)^3]/4=226.6m/s

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