Related questions with answers
If a person of mass M simply moved forward with speed V, his kinetic energy would be However, in addition to possessing a forward motion, various parts of his body (such as the arms and legs) undergo rotation. Therefore, his total kinetic energy is the sum of the energy from his forward motion plus the rotational kinetic energy of his arms and legs. The purpose of this problem is to see how much this rotational motion contributes to the person’s kinetic energy. Biomedical measurements show that the arms and hands together typically make up 13% of a person’s mass, while the legs and feet together account for 37%. For a rough (but reasonable) calculation, we can model the arms and legs as thin uniform bars pivoting about the shoulder and hip, respectively. In a brisk walk, the arms and legs each move through an angle of about (a total of ) from the vertical in approximately 1 second. Assume that they are held straight, rather than being bent, which is not quite true. Consider a 75-kg person walking at 5.0 km/h, having arms 70 cm long and legs 90 cm long. What percentage of his kinetic energy is due to the rotation of his legs and arms?
Solution
VerifiedD.
To solve for the percentage of kinetic energy that is due to the rotation of his legs and arms, we simply divide the rotational kinetic energy with the total kinetic energy and multiply by a hundred. That is,
Hence, the rotational kinetic energy is of the total kinetic energy.
Create an account to view solutions
Create an account to view solutions
Recommended textbook solutions

Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics
4th Edition•ISBN: 9780133942651 (4 more)Randall D. Knight
Sears and Zemansky's University Physics
14th Edition•ISBN: 9780133969290Hugh D. Young, Roger A. Freedman
Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences
3rd Edition•ISBN: 9780471198260Mary L. Boas
Fundamentals of Physics
10th Edition•ISBN: 9781118230718 (5 more)David Halliday, Jearl Walker, Robert ResnickMore related questions
1/4
1/7