A 2,000-kg pile driver is used to drive a steel I-beam into the ground. The pile

Question

A 2,000-kg pile driver is used to drive a steel I-beam into the ground. The pile driver falls 3.00 m before coming into contact with the top of the beam, and it drives the beam 10.0 cm farther into the ground as it comes to rest. Using energy considerations, calculate the average force the beam exerts on the pile driver while the pile driver is brought to rest.
magnitude


- it keeps telling me: Make sure you are also correctly accounting for the change in gravitational potential energy when the beam is pushed the extra distance into the ground. N
direction

Explanation / Answer

Eg = mgh, where h is height above final position
Work = Fd, where F is force exerted by beam and d is the distance over which this occurs

Finally, the driver has no energy, since it is at rest and at its lowest point.

Einitial + Work = Efinal
mgh + Fd = 0
F = - mgh/d
F = - 2000(9.8)(3.10) / (0.10)
F = - 607600 N
F = 607600 N [up]

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