Work

Work is done whenever a force moves something.

Everyday examples of work include walking up stairs, lifting heavy objects, pulling a sledge and
pushing a shopping trolley. Whenever work is done, energy is transferred from one place to
another.

A man pushes a box with a force of 10 newtons to move it a distance of 2 metres

Calculating work done

Here is the equation that relates work done, force applied, and distance moved in
the direction of the force:

work done=force×distance

W=F×d

where:

W is measured in joules, J

F is measured in newtons, N

d is measured in metres,m

In the example above, 10 N is applied to move the box 2 m.

Work done = 10 × 2 = 20 J

The triangle above may help you to rearrange the equation.

Work done has the same units as energy – joules. This is because energy is the ability
to do work. So you must have energy to do work. You do not have to do work if you
have energy though (potential energy does not do work). Specifically, a person could
not push the box (and so do work) in the example above without energy. Work done is
equal to energy transferred.

Work and power

Work done is the same as energy transferred. Conservation of energy links GPE, KE and work done. Power is the rate of transfer of energy or the rate of
doing work.

Gravitational potential energy (GPE)

 On Earth we always have the force of gravity acting on us. When we are above the Earth's
surface we have potential (stored) energy. This is called gravitational potential energy (GPE).

The amount of GPE an object on Earth has depends on its:

 mass
 height above the ground

In the diagram:

 all the books on a shelf have GPE

 book A has more than book C because it is higher
 book B has more than book A because it has a greater mass
Calculating change in gravitational potential energy

If an object is lifted, work is done against gravitational force. The object gains energy. For
example, Book C would gain GPE if it were lifted onto the higher book shelf alongside Books A
and B.

Here is the equation for calculating gravitational potential energy:

GPE=mgh  or  GPE=m×g×h

where:

GPE is the gravitational potential energy in joules, J

 m is the mass in kilograms, kg

g is the gravitational field strength in newtons per kilogram, N/kg

h is the change in height in metres, m

For example, a book with a mass of 0.25 kg is lifted 2 m onto a book shelf. If g is 10 N/kg, how
much gravitational potential energy does it gain?

GPE = 0.25 × 10 × 2 = 5 J

Kinetic energy (KE)

All moving objects have kinetic energy (KE). The KE an object has depends on its:

 mass
 speed
Calculating kinetic energy

Here is the equation for calculating kinetic energy:

KE = ½ mv2

or

KE = ½ × m × v2

where:

KE is the kinetic energy in joules, J

m is the mass in kilograms, kg

v is the speed in metres per second, m/s

For example, what is the kinetic energy of a 1000 kg car travelling at 5 m/s?

KE = ½ × 1000 × 25 = 500 × 25 = 12500 J

GPE and KE – rides and rollercoasters

Many theme park rides use the transfer of gravitational potential energy (GPE) to kinetic energy
(KE) and kinetic energy to gravitational potential energy.
 As the pirate ship falls, GPE is transferred into KE. At the bottom of the swing it's travelling at
its highest speed. As it swings back up the other side it slows down as its KE is transferred back
into GPE.

Pirate ship ride demonstrating the transition from kinetic to potential energy

The rollercoaster car gains GPE as it travels to the top. Once over the top, the car gains
speed as GPE is transferred to KE. As it travels to the top of another loop, KE is
transferred to GPE. Note that not all the energy is transferred to or from GPE – some is
transferred to the surroundings as heat and sound.

All moving objects have KE. The KE an object has depends on its:

 mass – if the mass doubles, the KE doubles

 speed – if the speed doubles, the KE quadruples (increases four times)

Work, GPE and KE

Sliding down a bannister converts GPE into kinetic energy

Work done and energy are both measured in joules. This is because work done is equal to energy
transferred. A person who has climbed to the top of a flight of stairs has transferred chemical
energy stored in their muscles to the gravitational potential energy (GPE) they have when
standing at the top. Here the work done (measured in joules) is equal to the GPE transferred (also
measured in joules).

If that person were to slide down the banisters to the very bottom the GPE would be converted
into kinetic energy.

Power is a measure of how quickly work is being done and so how quickly energy is being
transferred.

Calculating power

Here is the equation that relates power, work done and time:

P=Wt

where:

P is power, measured in watts (W)

W is work done, measured in joules (J)

t is time, measured in seconds (s)

For example, an electric drill transfers 3000 J in 15 s. What is its power?

Power = 3000 ÷ 15 = 200 W

Cars

Car engines come in different sizes (capacities) and power ratings. For example, a small family
car may have a 1.2 litre engine while a sports car may have a 3 litre engine. In general, engines
with larger capacities are more powerful.
More powerful engines in cars can do work quicker than less powerful ones. As a result they
usually travel faster and cover the same distance in less time but also require more fuel.
Increased fuel consumption costs more and has a bigger impact on the environment.