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Ch 09: Work and Kinetic Energy
Chapter 9, Problem 37a

How much work does an elevator motor do to lift a 1000 kg elevator a height of 100 m?

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Identify the formula for work done: Work (W) is given by the equation W=Fdcosθ, where F is the force, d is the displacement, and θ is the angle between the force and displacement vectors.
Determine the force required to lift the elevator: The force needed to lift the elevator is equal to its weight, which is calculated using F=mg, where m is the mass of the elevator (1000 kg) and g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s²).
Substitute the values for force and displacement into the work formula: Since the force and displacement are in the same direction (upward), the angle θ is 0 degrees, and cos0 equals 1. The formula simplifies to W=mgd.
Plug in the known values: Substitute m=1000 kg, g=9.8 m/s², and d=100 m into the equation.
Simplify the expression to calculate the total work done: Perform the multiplication W=1000×9.8×100 to find the work done by the elevator motor.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Work

In physics, work is defined as the product of force and the distance over which that force is applied. It is calculated using the formula W = F × d, where W is work, F is the force applied, and d is the distance moved in the direction of the force. In the context of lifting an elevator, the force is equal to the weight of the elevator, which is the mass multiplied by the acceleration due to gravity.
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Gravitational Force

Gravitational force is the attractive force between two masses, which on Earth is experienced as weight. It can be calculated using the formula F = m × g, where F is the gravitational force, m is the mass, and g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.81 m/s²). For the elevator, the gravitational force acting on it is crucial for determining the work done by the motor to lift it.
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Energy Conservation

The principle of energy conservation states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another. In the case of the elevator, the electrical energy supplied to the motor is converted into mechanical energy to lift the elevator against the gravitational force. Understanding this principle helps in analyzing how much energy is required to perform the work of lifting the elevator.
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