Question

Squaw Valley ski area in California claims that its lifts can move 48700 people per hour. If the average lift carries people about 185 m (vertically) higher, estimate the maximum total power needed. (Assume an average mass per person of 70 kg.)

Answer 1

Power is the rate of doing work.

The work associated with taking an average person to the top is M g H = 70*9.8*185 = ___ Joules.

Multiply that by the number of people carried per SECOND. The answer will be in Watts.

Answer 2

1619.72 W