Examples

for Physics – Mechanical PHYS71095/PHYS1152

Chapter 7 examples: Work, Kinetic Energy, Work-Energy Principle

1. A person pulls a 50-kg crate 40 m along a horizontal floor by a constant force FP = 100 N, which
acts at a 37° angle as shown. The floor is smooth and exerts no friction force. Determine (a) the
work done by each force acting on the crate, and (b) the net work done on the crate.

Examples for Physics – Mechanical PHYS71095/PHYS1152

2. An 8-kg block is pushed 4 m up along a 30o incline by a horizontal force of 60 N. Determine the
work done by this force.

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3. A constant force F = 2.0 î + 4.0 ĵ N acts on an object as it moves along a straight-line
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path. If the object’s displacement is d = 1.0 î + 5.0 ĵ m, calculate the work done by F
using these alternate ways of writing the dot product: (a) W = Fd cos θ; (b)
W = Fx d x + Fy d y .
Examples for Physics – Mechanical PHYS71095/PHYS1152

4. (a) A person pulls on a spring, stretching it 3.0 cm, which requires a maximum force of 75 N.
How much work does the person do? (b) If, instead, the person compresses the spring 3.0 cm,
how much work does the person do?
















5. Find the work required to compress the spring illustrated below. (At its “free length” the
spring is relaxed.)

Examples for Physics – Mechanical PHYS71095/PHYS1152

6. A spring has a spring constant of 400 N/m and a relaxed (free) length of 10 cm. The spring is
stretched to point A, where it has a length of 13 cm. What work would be required to stretch
the spring to point B, where it has a length of 15 cm?

7. Show that the relationship Wnet = DK holds in the case of a constant force by working from the
kinematics equation 𝑣 " = 𝑣$" + 2𝑎 𝑥 − 𝑥$ .

Examples for Physics – Mechanical PHYS71095/PHYS1152

8. A 0.500-kg mass is dropped from rest and freely falls a vertical distance of 2.2 m. a) How much
work has been done on the mass? b) How much has the kinetic energy of the mass changed?
c) What is the speed of the mass?

9. A 145-g baseball is thrown so that it acquires a speed of 25 m/s. (a) What is its kinetic energy?
(b) What was the net work done on the ball to make it reach this speed, if it started from rest?
c) Estimate the net force applied on the ball if it was acted on through a distance of about 1 m?

Examples for Physics – Mechanical PHYS71095/PHYS1152

10. A horizontal spring has spring constant k = 360 N/m. (a) How much work is required to compress
it from its uncompressed length (x = 0) to x = 11.0 cm? (b) If a 1.85-kg block is placed against the
spring and the spring is released, what will be the speed of the block when it separates from the
spring at x = 0? Ignore friction. (c) Repeat part (b) but assume that the block is moving on a table
and that some kind of constant drag force FD = 7.0 N is acting to slow it down, such as friction (or
perhaps your finger).