A logistics company tests three identical shipping containers
PHYSICS · Multi-part · CBSE · Physics · Work, Energy and Power · Work, Energy and Power
Problem
A logistics company tests three identical shipping containers, each loaded with different contents. The mass and speed data for the containers at a particular instant are shown in the table below.
Container Mass (kg) Speed (m s⁻¹)
1 480 2.0
2 360 2.8
3 520 1.7
(a) For each container, calculate the translational kinetic energy. Record your answers in a new column of the table, using kilojoules (kJ) as the unit.
(b) For each container, compute the kinetic energy per unit mass (kJ kg⁻¹). Add these values to a second new column in the table.
(c) Identify which container poses the greatest hazard in terms of total kinetic energy and which poses the greatest hazard in terms of kinetic energy per unit mass. Justify your choices with numerical evidence from your calculations.