Work-Kinetic Energy Balance - Example 7.3-2

 

A truck drives along a horizontal road with a constant velocity. Its motion is retarded and eventually halted by a set of crash barrels. The amount of barrels and sand within the barrels are arranged in such a way to decelerate the truck at a constant rate. Four test runs are performed where the velocity and mass of the truck are varied. In each of the following situations, the barrels stop the truck in the same distance. Rank the force required to stop the truck for the following situations from greatest to least.

 

Click on the case where the force required to stop the truck is greatest.