A tractor of mass 3700 kg is travelling along a straight horizontal road at a constant speed of 12 m s-1. The total resistance to motion is 1150 N.
- Find the power output of the tractor’s engine.
The tractor comes to a hill inclined at 4° above the horizontal. The power output is increased to 25 kW and the resistance to motion is unchanged.
- Find the deceleration of the tractor at the instant it begins to climb the hill.
- Find the constant speed that the tractor could maintain on the hill when working at this power.
Solution
(i) The power output of the tractor’s engine is given by the formula:
\(P = F \times v\)
where \(F = 1150 \text{ N}\) and \(v = 12 \text{ m s}^{-1}\).
Thus, \(P = 1150 \times 12 = 13,800 \text{ W}\).
(ii) The driving force when the power is increased to 25 kW is:
\(F = \frac{25000}{12}\)
Using Newton’s second law up the slope:
\(\frac{25000}{12} - 1150 - 3700g \sin 4^{\circ} = 3700a\)
Solving for \(a\):
\(a = -0.445 \text{ m s}^{-2}\)
(iii) For constant speed \(v\) on the hill:
\(\frac{25000}{v} - 1150 - 3700g \sin 4^{\circ} = 0\)
Solving for \(v\):
\(v = 6.70 \text{ m s}^{-1}\)
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