Question

Two tugboats pull a disabled supertanker. Each tug exerts a constant force of 1.90×106 N, one at an angle 19.0 west of north, and the other at an angle 19.0 east of north, as they pull the tanker a distance 0.870 km toward the north.
What is the total work done by the two tugboats on the supertanker?
Express your answer in joules, to three significant figures.

Answer 1

Answer:

$W_t = 3.125*10^9 J$

Explanation:

We know that the work could be calculate dby:

W = $F_xd$

where $F_x$ is the component of the force in the direction of the  

displacement. and d is the displacement.

So, the total work ($W_t$) is:

$W_t = F_1cos(\beta) d+F_2cos(\beta)d$

Where $F_1$ is the force done by the first tugboat, $\beta$ is the angle of the force, d is the displacement and $F_2$ is the force done by the second tugboat.

$W_t = (1.9*10^6)cos(19°)(870m)+(1.9*10^6)cos(19°)(870m)$

$W_t = 3.125*10^9 J$