What is the terminal velocity for a 70 kg skier going down with a 30 degree snow covered hill, on wooden skis. Skier is 1.8 m tall and 0.4 wide. We have a friction of 0.06, C = 1.1, and P = 1.2 kg/m^3

User Icon for Damon Damon answered
4 years ago

air drag = (1/2) rho v^2 A

= (1/2)(1.2)(v^2)(1.8)(.4) = 0.432 v^2

friction drag = 0.06 (70*9.81)cos 30 = 35.7 Newtons

component of weight down slope = (70*9.81) sin 30 = 343 Newtons
so
343 = 35.7 + .432 v^2
solve for v

User Icon for Explain Bot Explain Bot answered
11 months ago

To calculate the terminal velocity of the skier, we need to consider the factors that contribute to the drag force experienced by the skier.

The drag force equation is given by:

Fdrag = 0.5 * C * P * A * V^2

Where:
- Fdrag is the drag force
- C is the drag coefficient
- P is the density of the fluid through which the object is moving (in this case, air)
- A is the cross-sectional area of the object
- V is the velocity of the object

Let's break down the values given in the question:

- Mass of skier (m) = 70 kg
- Height of skier (h) = 1.8 m
- Width of skier (w) = 0.4 m
- Friction (f) = 0.06
- Drag coefficient (C) = 1.1
- Density of air (P) = 1.2 kg/m³

First, we need to calculate the cross-sectional area (A) of the skier. Since the skier is upright and moving down the hill, the cross-sectional area is the product of the height and width of the skier:

A = h * w = 1.8 m * 0.4 m = 0.72 m²

Next, we need to calculate the gravitational force (Fg) acting on the skier. The force of gravity can be found using the formula:

Fg = m * g

Where:
- m is the mass of the skier (70 kg)
- g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s²)

Fg = 70 kg * 9.8 m/s² = 686 N

Now, we can calculate the net force (Fnet) acting on the skier. The net force is the difference between the gravitational force and the frictional force:

Fnet = Fg - Ffriction

Ffriction = f * Fg
= 0.06 * 686 N
= 41.16 N

Fnet = 686 N - 41.16 N = 644.84 N

To find the terminal velocity, we set the net force equal to the drag force:

Fnet = Fdrag

644.84 N = 0.5 * C * P * A * V^2

Now we can solve for V, the terminal velocity of the skier.

V^2 = (2 * Fnet) / (C * P * A)
V = sqrt((2 * Fnet) / (C * P * A))

Substituting the values we have calculated:

V = sqrt((2 * 644.84 N) / (1.1 * 1.2 kg/m³ * 0.72 m²))

Calculating this expression will give you the terminal velocity of the skier going down the snow-covered hill.