A pile driver drives a post into the ground.The mass of the pile driver is 2 500 kg and it is dropped through a height of 8.0 m on each stroke.If the resisting force of the ground is 4.0 ´ 10⁶ N,how far is the post driven in on each stroke? A)4.9 cm B)9.8 cm C)16 cm D)49 cm

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The potential energy lost by the pile driver is converted into work done against the resisting force. The potential energy is mgh = 2500 kg * 9.8 m/s² * 8.0 m = 196,000 J. The work done is force * distance, so 4.0 * 10^6 N * distance = 196,000 J. Solving for distance gives 0.049 m or 4.9 cm.

A Pile Driver Drives a Post into the Ground