A small electric scooter has a battery–motor system that can deliver a steady 750 W…
PHYSICS · Multi-part · A Level · Physics · Mechanics and materials · Mechanics and materials
Problem
A small electric scooter has a battery–motor system that can deliver a steady 750 W of mechanical power to the wheels. The combined mass of the scooter and its rider is 95kg. Starting from rest on level ground, the rider opens the throttle fully for 12 s.
(a) Determine the amount of mechanical work that the motor delivers to the scooter during the 12 s interval.
(b) Assuming all the delivered work goes into increasing the scooter’s translational kinetic energy, calculate the scooter’s speed at the end of the 12 s interval.
(c) Explain why the actual speed might be less than the value calculated in part (b), citing at least one specific physical effect.