Question
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A circular paddle wheel of radius 4 ft is lowered into a flowing river. The current causes the wheel to rotate at a speed of 15 rpm .
Part 1 of 3
(a) What is the angular speed? Round to one decimal place.
The angular speed is approximately .
Part:
Part 2 of 3
(b) Find the speed of the current in . Round to one decimal place.
The speed of the current is approximately
.

Ask by Herrera Peterson. in the United States
Mar 23,2025

Upstudy AI Solution

Tutor-Verified Answer

Answer

The angular speed is approximately . The speed of the current is approximately .

Solution

  1. The angular speed is given as rpm. We first convert this to radians per minute:
  2. The linear speed at the rim of the wheel, which equals the speed of the current, is computed by:
    where and . Thus,
The speed of the current is approximately .

Answered by UpStudy AI and reviewed by a Professional Tutor

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Simplify this solution

Beyond the Answer

To find the speed of the current, first calculate the linear speed of the edge of the paddle wheel using the formula . Here, is the radius (4 ft) and is the angular speed in radians per minute (approximately 94.2 rad/min). Multiplying these together gives you the speed of the current. The current speed is about , once you consider that one complete rotation corresponds to radians.
Ever wondered why paddle wheels are so effective? It’s because they can convert the flow of water into rotational energy with minimal resistant forces. This makes them a popular choice in different engineering applications like boats and even some types of turbines! Paddle wheels harness nature’s power efficiently, making them a historical favorite for fun and practical uses in watercraft.

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