High School

A helicopter stays aloft by pushing large quantities of air downward every second. What mass of air must be pushed downward at 40.0 m/s every second to keep a 1,000-kg helicopter aloft?

A. 120 kg
B. 245 kg
C. 360 kg
D. 490 kg
E. 720 kg

Answer :

Final answer:

To keep a 1,000-kg helicopter aloft at a speed of 40.0 m/s, it must push a mass of 245 kg of air downward every second.

Explanation:

In order to keep a 1,000-kg helicopter aloft at a speed of 40.0 m/s, we need to calculate the mass of air that must be pushed downward every second. To do this, we can use Newton's second law which states that force is equal to mass times acceleration. The force needed to keep the helicopter aloft is equal to the weight of the helicopter, which is its mass multiplied by the acceleration due to gravity. So, the force needed is 1,000 kg times 9.8 m/s2. Since the helicopter pushes the air downwards at a speed of 40.0 m/s, the mass of air that must be pushed downward every second is equal to the force needed divided by the speed at which the air is pushed downward. Calculating this, we get:

Mass of air = (1,000 kg × 9.8 m/s2) / 40.0 m/s = 245 kg

Therefore, the correct answer is option b. 245 kg.

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