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Composition Setup

Excerpt
hiddentrue

Explore the kinematics of constant power (as opposed to constant force).

Photo by Lt. Col. Derik Crotts, courtesy of U.S. Army

Top-fuel dragsters like the one shown above accelerate from rest at a tremendous rate. They race on a straight 1/4 mile long track. From a standing start, they complete the quarter mile in about 4.5 seconds and reach a speed of about 330 mph by the finish line.

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Part A

Show that the statistics given in the problem introduction are inconsistent at the 10% level with the assumption that the dragster produces constant acceleration as it moves down the track.

Solution

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System:
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Dragster as .

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External influence from the ground (friction) assumed to produce constant acceleration.

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Model:
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One-Dimensional Motion with Constant Acceleration.

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Approach:

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Card
labelPart B

Part B

Using the fact that a top-fuel dragster will typically weigh 2200 lbs (equivalent to a mass of 1000 kg), show that the assumption that the dragster moves down the track with a constant value for the power delivered to the car in the form of kinetic energy is consistent at (approximately) the 10% level.

Solution

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System:
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Dragster as .

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Friction interacts with the dragster in such a way as to deliver constant to the dragster's kinetic energy.

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Model:
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.

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Approach:

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