Question

On complete combustion a litre of petrol gives off heat equivalent to 3×10⁷ J. In a test drive a car weighing 1200 kg. including the mass of driver, runs 15 km per litre while moving with a uniform speed on a straight track. Assuming that friction offered by the road surface and air to be uniform, calculate the force of friction acting on the car during the test drive, if the efficiency of the car engine were 0.5.

Answer 1

With 0.5 efficiency, 1 litre generates 1.5 × 10⁷J, which is used for 15 km drive.

F d = 1.5 ×10⁷J. with d = 15000 m

F = 1000 N : force of friction.