A parachutist of mass 52.0 kg jumps out of an airplane at a height of 1 080 m.The parachute deploys,and she lands on the ground with a speed of 6.0 m /s.How much energy was lost to air friction during this jump?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The potential energy at the start is mgh = 52.0 kg * 9.8 m/s² * 1080 m = 550,080 J. The kinetic energy when landing is 0.5 * 52.0 kg * (6.0 m/s)² = 936 J. The energy lost to air friction is the difference: 550,080 J - 936 J = 549,144 J, which rounds to 549,000 J.

A Parachutist of Mass 52