The “shot” used in the shot-put event is a metal ball with a mass of 7.3 kg. When thrown in Olympic competition, it is accelerated to a speed of about 14 m/s. As an approximation, let’s say that the athlete exerts a constant force on the shot while throwing it and that it moves a distance of 3 m while accelerating.
(a) What is the shot’s kinetic energy?
(b) Compute the force that acts on the shot.
(c) It takes about 0.5 s to accelerate the shot. Compute the power required. Convert your answer to horsepower.