Work Done & Energies

 Work W done occurs when a

constant force F moves an F
object a displacement x
 This is given by,
W=|F||x|cosq q

x
Where F & x are vectors but W is a
This is the component
scalar quantity of F resolved in the x
direction
 From equation (1), If F and x are
perpendicular (i.e. q = 90o) Units; joules (J)
 no work is done 1J = 1N x 1m
Energy is therefore defined as the capacity of a body to do work
 It has units of joules (J)

 Energy in general is a scalar quantity h


 Fundamentally
 Work done by your arm on the object = change in
energy of the mass = mgh (both +ve quantities)

 Work done on your arm by the object = change in

energy of your arm = -mgh (both -ve quantities)
 Kinetic & potential energy

 The kinetic energy (K E) of an object depends only on

the speed (not velocity) of the object

 The potential energy (P E) of an object depends only

on its position
 Potential energy
 Examples

- gravitational P E = mgh (for moderate h)

- a stretched spring (Hookes law). This is
referred to as “Strain Energy”
 Hookes law; Example
stress Fa
Hooke`s law, E   .....(1)
strain Ax
 Consider a mass m on a
spring under gravity
x
Tension F  l  mg ...(2)
a
a

• This is an easy & direct way to

x measure l (ELASTIC MODULUS)
Thus, from Equations (1) and (2)
mg
l  ?????
 Strain Energy by stretching a wire
 Attach a mass m at time t = 0
 As the wire extends, the tension increases linearly with x until
x = mga/l
 At this point the tension in the wire balances the force of
gravity on the mass

a a Tension  l
x
 mg
a
X=0
x=mga/l
mg Attach mass m to At some time t later,
the mass comes to
the wire at time mg rest (tension
t=0, x=0 increases until it
equals mg)
 Strain energy of a spring

 Plot a graph of tension versus extension

Force Unlike raising a mass against

(Tension) gravity the work done is not mgx,
mg because the force itself increases
with x (unlike gravity which is
constant for moderate
displacements)
0 mga/l
Extension, x

• We need to add up (integrate) the contributions to the

total work as x increases
• Work done in stretching the wire from zero extension to
an extension of x is given by the area under the force-
extension curve
= ½(mg)2a/l for a mass on a spring

= ½(Fx) = ½(l/a)x2 for any F

 Kinetic energy of Linear motion
 Proof that K E = ½ m v2
• Use the equations of motion for uniform acceleration of
magnitude a(=v/t) to derive the work done in accelerating
a body of mass m from zero speed up to speed v

• At t=0, u=0
• At time t, the body has moved a distance s and has a speed
v; v2=u2 + 2as = 2as (3rd Equation of linear motion)
• The work done to move the body a distance ‘s’ using a
constant force F (= ma) is F s
• Therefore the work done=(ma)(v 2/2a) = ½ mv2
• This is for linear motion. For angular motion: v= wR
• Work done= ½ m (wR)2 = ½ (m R2) w2  ½ (I) w2
• Where (I) is THE MOMENT OF INERTIA (UNIT= ??)
 Kinetic Energy of Rotating
objects
F S
Energy = Force x distance = F S
But S = R q and F = m a
But a= aR q R
Hence Energy = (mR2) (a q)
Now I = Moment of Inertia And (a q)  (w2/2)

Kinetic Energy= ½ I w2
 Conservation of energy
 Energy may be transferred from one form to
another, but it can’t be created or destroyed, i.e.
the total energy of an isolated system is constant

• The total mechanical energy of a system (KE +

PE) is constant as long as no external work is
done on or by the system, & no mechanical
energy changes to another form; eg heat, sound
etc (these are just other forms of PE & KE
anyway)
Examples:
1) In a drop forging operation, the top die and its holder,
with a combined mass of 20 kg, fall freely for 3 m before
contacting the metal in the bottom die. Calculate:
i) the velocity of the top die at the moment of contact.
ii) The force exerted on the metal, assuming it is constant. If
the top die travels a further 15 mm before coming to rest?
(Answers 7.67 m/s and 39.4 kN)

2) A wagon of 12 Tonnes travelling at 16 km/h strikes a pair

of parallel spring-loaded stops. If the stiffness of each spring
is 600 kN/m, calculate the maximum compression in
bringing the wagon to rest?

(Answers 444 mm)

3) A spring having an original length of 0.5 m is
stretched to 0.65m by a force of 50 N.
Find the following:

i) The elastic modulus of the spring

ii) The stored elastic potential energy in the spring.

Answers
i) 166.67 (units=?)
ii) 3.75 (units=?)
4)
The 40 kg hammer is lifted into position 1 and released from rest. Its
weight and springs (k= 1500 N/m) accelerate the hammer downward to
position 2, where it strikes a work piece. The tension in each spring is
150 N when the hammer in position 2. Use conservation of energy to
determine the hammer’s velocity when it reaches position 2?
300
mm
1

F F
400
mm
mg

2 Free body diagram

Answer:
Let r0 is the unstretched length of the spring.

In position 2, the tension is 150 N and its length 0.3 m.

From the relation of force, extension and stiffness:

Hence, 150= k(0.3- r0) r0 =0.2 m

Therefore, stretch in position 2, X2 = 0.3-0.2=0.1 m

Stretch of spring in position 1, X1 = 0.4  0.3  0.2  0.3 m

2 2

Total Work done on hammer by the springs=

1
2( k ( X 22  X 12 )  1500 [0.32  0.12 ]  120 N . m
2
Work done by weight from position 1 to 2=mgh=(40)(9.81)0.4= 157 Nm
From Conservation of Energy:
120+ 157 = 0.5 m (v2 – u2 ) v= 3.72 m/s
Q5

Figure Q5 shows a 200 kg collar which can move along

a shaft. It is lifted to position 1 and released from rest
using a spring having a stiffness, k= 2000 N/m. The
spring accelerates the collar downward to position 2.
The tension in the spring is set to200 N when the
collar in position 2. Use the conservation of energy to
determine the collar’s velocity when it reaches
position 2?

Answer
v= 2.06 m/s
Figure Q5