PHYS 111 1

Work and Energy

Work
Definition: Work W is done on an object when a force F applied to the object produces a
displacement S
W = F||.S =|F||S| cosθ
Where 𝛉 is angle between the applied force F and the displacement vector S
Work is a scalar quantity. The units of work in the SI system is Joule, and CGS unit is
erg.
Definition: 1 Joule (erg) of work is done when a force of 1N (dyne) produces
a displacement of 1m (cm). (1 J = 1 N m) and (1 erg = 1 dyne. cm)
1 J = 107 erg
F

𝛉
Displacement s

If angle 𝛉 =0o then the force F is in the same direction as displacement and the force
does maximum work. That is W=FScos0 =FS
When angle 𝛉 = 90o no work is done by force F. That is W= FScos90 = 0J
Example of a force that does no work is centripetal force Fc

Kinetic Energy

The energy possessed by a body by virtue of its motion is called as Kinetic energy
(K.E.). Work can be done on or by the system to change its K.E .Work has to be done on
a system to increase its K.E. Change in KE. of a system has the capacity to do work. If a
body or an object of mass m is moving with a speed v then its K.E is given by an
expression:

K.E. =1/2mv2
Show that a change in kinetic energy equals the work done.

Let us suppose a force F is applied to an object that initially moving with velocity u that
causes a displacement s in the direction of the force then the work done by the system
is. If m is the mass of the object and v its final velocity;

Work done by the force is given by; W = Fs= m a s

Substituting for a from the 3rd equation of motion v2 = u2 + 2as we get

W= m (v2 - u2)/2 =1/2mv2-1/2mu2 = change in kinetic energy 𝛥KE

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The total work done on/by an object is equal to the change in its kinetic energy.

Potential Energy
The energy possessed by a body by virtue of its position in the
(gravitational/electric/magnetic) field is called its Potential energy (P.E.). Work can be
done on/by the system to change its P.E.
 Work is done against Gravitation field to raise an object from height h1 to h2.
 Work has to be done to compress a spring this work is store in the spring as
elastic potential energy.
 Work has to be done to move charges in an electric field

Gravitational P.E: = mgh

where m is the mass of the object, h= h1- h2 is the height (displacement) difference
between the initial and final position of the object, g is gravitational acceleration
External work done against the gravitational field to raise an object from height h1 to h2
is

Wext: = ΔP.E. = P2 - P1 = m g (h2 - h1)

However work done by gravity itself

WG: = -ΔP.E. = P1- P2 = m g (h1 - h2)

Conservation of energy

The total energy is neither increased nor decreased in any process. Energy can be
transformed from one from to another, and transferred from one object to another, but
the total amount remains constant.
Total Mechanical energy is conserved if the following is true

ΔP:E + ΔK:E = 0 or PE1 + KE1 = PE2 + KE2

Conservative forces: A conservative force may be defined as one for which the work
done in moving between two points A and B is independent of the path taken between
the two points.
The implication of "conservative" in this context is that you could move it from A to B
by one path and return to A by another path with no net loss of energy - any closed
return path to A takes net zero work.
The energy of an object which is subject only to that conservative force is dependent
upon its position and not upon the path by which it reached that position
 This makes it possible to define a potential energy function which depends upon
position only.
 Gravitational PE/Elastic PE are examples of conservative forces.
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 Friction is an example of non-conservative force

Problem 1: A box of mass 5 kg initially at rest is accelerated by a force across the floor at
a rate of a = 2 m/s2 for 7 s. Find the net work done.
Soln 1:
From 2nd equation of motion (s = ut + 1/2at2)
u=0ms-1, t=7s, a=2ms-2
s=1/2at2 =(2x7x7)/2 = 49m
work done = Fs = mas = 5 x2x49 =490 J

Problem 2: A 330 Kg block slides 3.6 m down an incline of 28o and is stopped by a man
who is pushing it back parallel to the incline. Given that μk= 0.4, find the following: I
Force exerted by the man? Work done by man. (-1354 J) Work done by frictional force (-
4111J). work done by gravity (5465J). Total work done on the block (0J) Draw the free
body diagram

Vertically, N = mgcosθ

Horizontally at equilibrium( when the block come to rest),

mgsin𝛉 - Fk =Fman
Or mgsinθ- μkN = mgsinθ - μk mgcosθ = 330 x9.8 x sin 28 – 0.4x 330 x9.8 x cos 28 = 376
N

Problem 3: From what height should an apple drop vertically down such that its
terminal speed is 20 m/s.
Initial velocity u= 0ms-1, v= 20ms-1, h1 =?m h2 =0m
Using conservation of energy
mgh1 +1/2mu2 = mgh2 + 1/2mv2
or mgh1+0 = 0 + 1/2mv2
hence, h1= v2/2g =20.4 m
Problem 4: A skier start starts from the top of a hill of h = 20.4m descends the hill. What
is the final velocity? (v=√2𝑔ℎ = 20ms-1)

Force on a spring
Hooke's Law:
When a force F is applied on an elastic body or a spring, then the impressed force is
proportional to extension x of the spring from it equilibrium position.
That is
Fαx
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This restoring force opposes the change F = -kx

In case of a spring the constant k is called as the spring constant
Elastic property: It takes about twice as much force to stretch/compress a spring twice
as far. Hooke's law applies as long as there is a linear dependence of the applied
stretching force F and displacement (extension or compression x). If there is no friction
mechanical energy is conserved.

Work done to
extend/compress a spring
through a distance x from its
equilibrium position:
𝑥 𝑥
1 2
𝑊 = ∫ 𝐹𝑑𝑥 = ∫ 𝑘𝑥𝑑𝑥 = 𝑘𝑥
2
0 0

Potential energy stored in the

spring is equal to the work done in compressing or streching
1
𝑃. 𝐸 = 𝑊 = 𝑘𝑥 2
2
Problem 5: A spring of k = 80N/m. is compressed 2cm by a mass of 0.5 Kg. When the
mass is released, describe the motion and the velocity at x = 0
Energy is conserved
Spring PE1+KE1 =Spring PE2 +KE2
1/2𝑘𝑥𝑖2 + 1/2𝑚𝑣𝑖2 = 1/2𝑘𝑥𝑓2 + 1/2𝑚𝑣𝑓2
1/2𝑘𝑥𝑖2 + 0 = 0 + 1/2𝑚𝑣𝑓2
𝑘
Vf =xi√𝑚 = 0.253 𝑚𝑠 −1

Power

Power is the rate of doing work or work done per unit time.
𝑊 𝐹𝑆𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
𝑃= = = 𝐹𝑣
𝑡 𝑡
Where v is the speed of the object
Power is a Scalar (SI Units = Watt)

The rate of doing work is equal to the rate of using energy since a force transfers one
unit of energy when it does one unit of work.
A horsepower is equal to 746 Watt. (That is 1hp=746W)
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Problem 1: A cart is pulled along at angle of 300along the floor to a distance of 20 m in

30 s with a force of 750 N. Find the Power in Watt and horsepower. What if 𝛉 =0 find
the power (500w)
Soln :
𝑊 𝐹𝑆𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 750 𝑥20 𝑐𝑜𝑠30
𝑃= = = 433 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑡 = 0.58ℎ𝑝
𝑡 𝑡 30

Problem 2: A car of mass 103 kg is going uphill at a speed of 50km/h (22.3m/s) with a
Power of 100 hp. How steep a hill can it go if force of friction is Fk = 700 N
Soln 2: The forces along the slope are such that;
F=mgsin𝛉 +Fk =P/v
𝑃 100𝑥746
− 𝐹𝑘 − 700
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝑣 = 22.3 = 0.2699
𝑚𝑔 1000𝑥 9.8
𝛉 = sin-1 (0.2699) = 15.66o
Exercise
1. Renatta and her friends applied a cumulative force of 1080 N to push the car 218 m to the
nearest fuel station. Determine the work done on the car.(2.35 x 105 J
2. Hans is pulling on a rope to drag his backpack to school across the ice. He pulls upwards and
rightwards with a force of 22.9 Newtons at an angle of 35 degrees above the horizontal to drag
his backpack a horizontal distance of 129 meters to the right. Determine the work done upon the
backpack.(2.42 x 103 J
3. Sheila has just arrived at the airport and is dragging her suitcase to the luggage check-in desk.
She pulls on the strap with a force of 190 N at an angle of 35° to the horizontal to displace it 45
m to the desk. Determine the work done by Sheila on the suitcase.( 7.0 x 103 J
4. During the Powerhouse lab, Jerome runs up the stairs, elevating his 102 kg body a vertical
distance of 2.29 meters in a time of 1.32 seconds at a constant speed.
a. Determine the work done by Jerome in climbing the stair case. (a. 2.30 x 103 J
b. Determine the power generated by Jerome. (1.73 x 103 W
5. A new conveyor system at the local packaging plan will utilize a motor-powered mechanical
arm to exert an average force of 890 N to push large crates a distance of 12 meters in 22 seconds.
Determine the power output required of such a motor. (485 W)
6. An elevator carry visitors from the ground floor to the Observation Deck on the 89th floor at
speeds up to 16.8 m/s. Determine the power delivered by the motor to lift the 10 passengers at
this speed. The combined mass of the passengers and cabin is 1250 kg. (2.06 x 105 W
7. A tow rope is powered by a 22-kW motor which pulls skiers along an icy incline of 14° at a
constant speed. Suppose that 18 skiers with an average mass of 48 kg hold onto the rope and
suppose that the motor operates at full power.
a. Determine the cumulative weight of all these skiers. (8.5 x 103 N
b. Determine the force required to pull this amount of weight up a 14° incline at a constant
speed. (2.0 x 103 N
c. Determine the speed at which the skiers will ascend the hill. (11 m/s