Page: | of | IC Physies Major Classical Mechanics 2020 Name: Student Number: A flat block of mass m is moved on a flat horizontal surface. Choose a Cartesian coordinate system with origin ‘on the flat surface and the .c- and y-axes in the plane of the surface, If the coefficient of friction is yo, what is the work done by friction when 1. a, The block is moved along a straight Tine from the origin fo the point (a, 6.0}, b. The block is moved along the 2-axis to the point (a, 0,00) and then parallel to the y-axis from (a,0,0) 10 (0,b,0). School of Physies University of the WitwatersranéPage: 2 of | Work done, SV by a force # when the displacement is 6;*is defined as aw — Far Fora frictional force Fyre the force is always in the opposite direction to the displacement, which means that BWirie = Fried? = [Frrc| cos 67 Here the angle 7 between the two vector: Fyrin and J exerted on the block by the surface which leads to AWprie — HN [8h rad [Zyri] — av were The totl work done is Wrie= anf ae Joye.) ti is the simply the fength of the path 1. a Se vtih in tm (40.0) w aban OF = VOTE: Whrie = WN VEE b foxm say — Secon.) ono + Sece.noy fanny O° — lah +1 Whete — HN (el + TY Ca and b can be positive as well as negative.) The work done in moving the block from (0.0.0) to (a, 4,0) depends on the pat Now consider force . Pooitys and consider the work done along the same two paths as before. We have to be more careful in this ease. the work done during a displacement 47'is ow F sr = |Fleose or In this case will be a function of the path followed, in contrast (o the previous example. Tet’s write owe F, + yi). (ori + dyj) én + yby. The displacement iri + dj depends on the path (as does the force). .r,y,2 are not independent along the path, In general we can specify the path by a function 9 (2, y, 2) — 0, which give the relationship between the variables x, y,2. Here we work in two dimensions which simplifies things. A further simplification is that we consider steaight line sections only. For motion pacallel to the «- and y-axes, things are very simple since only one variable with change. Por example, for a path parallel to the a-axis, is fixed and br = bei while for a path parallel to the y-axis, 2 is fixed and oF = ays Along the straight line from (0,0,0) 10 (a,b, 0) (6 ofr.y.0)—¥-{ be) —a b yor of (This is the expression for a straight line with gradient ® and intercept 0.) This shows that if we change «. we School of Physies University of the WitwatersranePage: 3 of | have to change y in a specific way to remain on the chosen path. We have ay ae dy ax and therefore :long the straight line (0.0.0) > (a.6,00) ow = Far = rir | yby bh Sz 2 (+())é Lon tin rom (0.050) 49 (a..0)) = viet Wy Far The work done along the second path Wa = f Bai loan e+e), Note that the work done along the two paths is exactly the same. ts this just a coincidence, aris there something lsc going on. Lets try two other path hetween the points (0,),0) and (a,0,0). First lets took at the straight Tine sections between (0,60) > (0,0,0) > (0,9,0 < is f ade + I dy 0 “ andy + [ ada — —sb? += i, Is 2 Now let's look at the work done along the straight line hetween (0. 6.0) x4 (00,0). Along this Hine Wh = Quce again, the work done depen othe n we can mow ask, iy whethe: this is still a coincidence, or is this a special type of farce for which the work dane is independent af the pact, School of Physies University of the Witwatersrane“ (4,0,0) We M2 ee pe kG e (grado) Swe -o ee) = > Qe e ae a