Question

A seagull flying horizontally at 8.00m/s carries a clam with a mass of 300g in its beak. Calculate the total mechanical energy of the clam when the seagull is 30.0m abouve the ground.

Answer 1

Answer:

The total mechanical energy of the clam when the seagull is 30.0 m above the ground is 97.8 Joules

Explanation:

Given:

Mass =  300 g

speed =  8.00 m/s

Height =  30.0 m

To Find:

Total mechanical energy of the clam = ?

Solution:

The total mechanical energy is the sum of the kinetic energy of the clam  and its  potential energy

Kinetic energy, $E_K = \frac{1}{2}mv^2$

Where m is the mass and v is the velocity

Potential energy,$E_P = mgh$

where

m is the mass

g is the gravitational constant and h is the height

Then

Mechanical energy $E_M = \frac{1}{2}mv^2 +mgh$

Converting g to kg we have

300 gram = 0.3 kg

On substituting the values,

$E_M = \frac{1}{2}(0.3)(8.00)^2 +(0.3)( 9.8) (30.0)$

$E_M = \frac{1}{2}(19.2) + 88.2$

$E_M = 9.6 + 88.2$

$E_M = 97.8 J$