A car of mass 1000 kg is travelling at 15 m/s. The driver applies the brakes for 4 seconds, slowing the car to 5 m/s. What is the average power output of the brakes over the 4 seconds? Assume there are no other forces acting on the car.
Kinetic Energy, EK=(1/2)mv2. Energy is conserved, so the work done by the brakes, W, must be equal to the change in kinetic energy of the car, ∆EK. Therefore: W = ∆EK = (1/2)1000(152-52) = 0.51000200 = 100000 = 1*105J. Since power P = W/T, the average power output of the brakes is equal to the total work done by the brakes over the time that the brakes are applied for, therefore: P = 100000/4 = 25000W.
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