water flows over a section of niagra falls at a rate of 2.1 x 10^6 kg/s and falls 53 m. the acceleration of gravity is 9.8 m/s^2. what is the power wasted by the waterfall ? answer in units of work ?
2007-03-12 05:40:19 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
= 2.1 x 10^6 x 53 x 9.8 = 1.09 x 10^9 watts
2007-03-12 05:53:16 · answer #1 · answered by physicist 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My man, I know what you're looking for, but have you considered that there is NO energy wasted? The water doesn't bounce back up or anything (okay it does a little).
And technically you could put an infinite number of generators in circuit that the water would have to go through - then it would be a matter of the efficiency of the generators or the turbines.
So, the answer would be, both ZERO and INFINITY.
2007-03-12 05:45:05 · answer #2 · answered by thedavecorp 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
2.1 x 53 x 9.8 = 1090.74 = 10907.4 MJ wasted as heat.
2007-03-12 06:39:22 · answer #3 · answered by Norrie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on how you define "waste"!
If you take into account the joy, awe and wonder that Niagara Falls gives to the people looking at it, I would say that NONE of it is wasted!
Don'cha just HATE it when people mix physics and semantics?
.
2007-03-12 06:01:56 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you assume that all the PE is wasted...
PE = mgh
so the power is just (m/t) gh
You're given all that, just plug and chug.
2007-03-12 05:44:23 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋