Work and Energy Legacy Problem #10 Guided Solution
Problem*
The first asteroid to be discovered is Ceres. It is the largest and most massive asteroid is our solar system's asteroid belt, having an estimated mass of 3.0 x 1021 kg and an orbital speed of 17900 m/s. Determine the amount of kinetic energy possessed by Ceres.
Audio Guided Solution
Here we are given the mass of an asteroid and the speed at which the asteroid moved. And we're asked to calculate the kinetic energy of the asteroid. The equation that relates kinetic energy to mass and speed is k e equal one half m b squared. So we need to take the m of 3.0, e to the 21st, and multiply by the speed squared, 1.79 times 10 to the 4th, and that whole quantity has to get squared. Then we need to divide by 2, and that should give us the kinetic energy. When we manipulate the math, and then round to two digits, we get 4.8 times 10 to the 29th.
Solution
4.8 x 1029 J
Habbits of an Effective Problem Solver
- Read the problem carefully and develop a mental picture of the physical situation. If necessary, sketch a simple diagram of the physical situation to help you visualize it.
- Identify the known and unknown quantities in an organized manner. Equate given values to the symbols used to represent the corresponding quantity - e.g., \(\descriptive{v}{v,velocity}_\descriptive{o}{o,original} = 0 \unit{\meter\per\second}\); \(\descriptive{a}{a,acceleration} = 4.2\unit{\meter\per\square\second}\); \(\descriptive{v}{v,velocity}_\descriptive{f}{f,final} = 22.9 \unit{\meter\per\second}\); \(\descriptive{d}{d,distance} = \colorbox{gray}{Unknown}\).
- Use physics formulas and conceptual reasoning to plot a strategy for solving for the unknown quantity.
- Identify the appropriate formula(s) to use.
- Perform substitutions and algebraic manipulations in order to solve for the unknown quantity.
Read About It!
Get more information on the topic of Work and Energy at The Physics Classroom Tutorial.