a) A person is riding on a Ferris wheel of radius r. He starts at the lowest poi

Question

a) A person is riding on a Ferris wheel of radius r. He starts at the lowest point of the wheel. When the wheel makes on complete revolution, is the net work done by the gravitational force positive, zero, or negative? Do you need to know how the speed of the person changed before you can answer the question?

b) Suppose the person started at the highest point of the wheel. What is the net work done by the gravitational force when he reaches the lowest point?

Please include all steps and any additional information that would help me think these problems through. thank you!

Explanation / Answer

(a) gravitational force is conservative

so net work done from lowest point to lowest point is zero

(b) direction of gravitational force is always downward

so net work from highest to lowest point

is mg(2R)

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