Question

A bowling ball is traveling at 7.6 meters per second when it hits a pin if the bowling ball has a mass of 6 kg how much kinetic energy does it have when it hits the pin

Answer 1

To calculate the kinetic energy (KE) of the bowling ball when it hits the pin, you can use the formula for kinetic energy:

\[
KE = \frac{1}{2}mv^2
\]

where:
- \( m \) is the mass of the object (in kilograms),
- \( v \) is the velocity of the object (in meters per second).

Given:
- \( m = 6 \, \text{kg} \)
- \( v = 7.6 \, \text{m/s} \)

Now, plug in the values:

\[
KE = \frac{1}{2} \times 6 \, \text{kg} \times (7.6 \, \text{m/s})^2
\]

Calculate \( (7.6 \, \text{m/s})^2 \):

\[
(7.6)^2 = 57.76 \, \text{m}^2/\text{s}^2
\]

Now, substitute that back into the kinetic energy formula:

\[
KE = \frac{1}{2} \times 6 \, \text{kg} \times 57.76 \, \text{m}^2/\text{s}^2
\]

\[
KE = 3 \times 57.76 \, \text{kg}\cdot\text{m}^2/\text{s}^2
\]

\[
KE = 173.28 \, \text{J}
\]

So, the kinetic energy of the bowling ball when it hits the pin is approximately **173.28 joules**.