A meteor has a speed of 90.0 m/s when 900 km above the Earth. It is falling vertically (ignore air resistance) and strikes a bed of sand in which it is brought to rest in 3.19 m.
(a) What is its speed before striking the sand?
(b) How much work does the sand do to stop the meteor (mass = 565 kg)?
(c) What is the average force exerted by the sand on the meteor?
(d) How much thermal energy is produced?
3 answers