FOS4 – Practice Problems – Work, Energy, Power, Springs – APC

1) Vector A has a magnitude of 5.00 units, and B has a magni-tude of 9.00 units. The two vectors make
an angle of 50.0° with each other. Find A· B.

2) A force F = (6.00!̂ – 2.00#̂) N acts on a particle that undergoes a displacement Δr = (3.00!̂ + 1.00#̂) m.
Find (a) the work done by the force on the particle and (b) the angle between F and Δr.

%, B = -!̂ + 2#̂ + 5𝒌
3) For A = 3!̂ + #̂ - 𝒌 %, and C = #̂j - 3𝒌
%, find C • (A - B). (use 3 sig figs)

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4) The force acting on a particle varies as shown. Find the work done by the force on the particle as it
moves (a) from x = 0 to x = 8.00 m, (b) from x = 8.00 m to x = 10.0 m, and (c) from x = 0 to x = 10.0 m.

5) The force acting on a particle is Fx = (8.00x – 16.0) N, where x is in meters. (a) Make a plot of this force
versus x from x = 0 to x = 3.00 m. (b) From your graph, find the net work done by this force on the particle
as it movers from x = 0 to x = 3.00 m.

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6) A force F = (4x!̂ + 3y#̂) N acts on an object as the object moves in the x direction from the origin to x =
5.00 m. Find the work done on the object by the force. (use 3 sig figs)

7) When a 4.00-kg object is hung vertically on a certain light spring that obeys Hooke's law, the spring
stretches 2.50 cm. If the 4.00-kg object is removed, (a) how far will the spring stretch if a 1.50-kg block is
hung on it, and (b) how much work must an external agent do to stretch the same spring 4.00 cm from its
unstretched position?

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8) Truck suspensions often have "helper springs" that
engage at high loads. One such arrangement is a leaf
spring with a helper coil spring mounted on the axle as
shown. The helper spring mounted engages when the
main leaf spring is compressed by distance y0, and then
helps to support an additional load. Consider a leaf spring
constant of 5.25 x 105 N/m, helper spring constant of 3.60
x 105 N/m, and y0 = 0.500 m (a) What is the compression
of the leaf spring for a load of 5.00 X 105 N? (b) How much work is done in compressing the springs?

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9) A 100.0-g bullet is fired from a rifle having a barrel 0.600 m long. Assuming the origin is placed where
the bullet begins to move, the force (in newtons) exerted by the expanding gas on the bullet is 15,000 +
10,000x – 25,000x2, where x is in meters. (a) Determine the work done by the gas on the bullet as the
bullet travels the length of the bar-rel. (b) What If? If the barrel is 1.00 m long, how much work is done,
and how does this value compare to the work calculated in (a)? (use 3 sig figs)

10) If it takes 4.00 J of work to stretch a Hooke's-law spring 10.0 cm from its unstressed length, determine
the extra work required to stretch it an additional 10.0 cm.

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11) A 0.600-kg particle has a speed of 2.00 m/s at point A and kinetic energy of 7.50 J at point B. What is (a)
its kinetic energy at A? (b) its speed at B? (c) the total work done on the particle as it moves from A to B?

12) A 3.00-kg object has a velocity (6.00!̂ - 2.00#̂) m/s. (a) What is its kinetic energy at this time? (b) Find
the total work done on the object if its velocity changes to (8.00!̂ + 4.00#̂) m/s.

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13) A small particle of mass m is pulled to the top of a
frictionless half-cylinder (of radius R) by a cord that passes
over the top of the cylinder, as shown. (a) If the particle
moves at a constant speed, show that F = mg cos θ. (Note:
If the particle moves at constant speed, the component of its
acceleration tangent to the cylinder must be zero at all
times.) (b) By directly integrating W = ∫F • dr, find the work
done in moving the particle at constant speed from the
bottom to the top of the half-cylinder.

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14) A 2.10 x 103-kg pile driver is used to drive a steel I-beam into the ground. The pile driver falls 5.00 m
before coming into contact with the top of the beam, and it drives the beam 12.0 cm farther into the
ground before coming to rest. Using energy considerations, calculate the average force the beam exerts
on the pile driver while the pile driver is brought to rest.

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15) A 4.00-kg particle is subject to a total force that varies with position as shown. The particle starts from
rest at x = 0. What is its speed at (a) x = 5.00 m, (b) x = 10.0 m, (c) x = 15.0 m?

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16) In the neck of the picture tube of a certain black-and-white television set, an electron gun contains two
charged metallic plates 2.80 cm apart. An electric force accelerates each electron in the beam from rest
to 9.60% of the speed of light over this distance. (a) Determine the kinetic energy of the electron as it
leaves the electron gun. Electrons carry this energy to a phosphorescent material on the inner surface of
the television screen, making it glow. For an electron passing between the plates in the electron gun,
determine (b) the magnitude of the constant electric force acting on the electron, (c) the acceleration, and
(d) the time of flight.

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17) A 40.0-kg box initially at rest is pushed 5.00 m along a rough, horizontal floor with a constant applied
horizontal force of 130 N. If the coefficient of friction between box and floor is 0.300, find (a) the work
done by the applied force, (b) the increase in internal energy in the box-floor system due to friction, (c) the
work done by the normal force, (d) the work done by the gravitational force, (e) the change in kinetic
en-ergy of the box, and (f) the final speed of the box.

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18) A 2.00-kg block is attached to a spring of force constant 500.0 N/m as shown. The block is pulled
5.00 cm to the right of equilibrium and released from rest. Find the speed of the block as it passes
through equilibrium if (a) the horizontal surface is frictionless and (b) the coefficient of friction between
block and surface is 0.350.

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19) A crate of mass 10.0 kg is pulled up a rough incline with an initial speed of 1.50 m/s. The pulling force
is 100.0 N parallel to the incline which makes an angle of 20.0°with the horizontal. The coefficient of
kinetic friction is 0.400, and the crate is pulled 5.00 m. (a) How much work is done by the gravitational
force on the crate? (b) Determine the increase in internal energy of the crate-incline system due to
friction. (c) How much work is done by the 100-N force on the crate? (d) What is the change in kinetic
energy of the crate? (e) What is the speed of the crate after being pulled 5.00 m?

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20) A sled of mass m is given a kick on a frozen pond. The kick imparts to it an initial speed of 2.00 m/s.
The coefficient of kinetic friction between sled and ice is 0.100. Use energy considerations to find the
distance the sled moves before it stops.

21) The electric motor of a model train accelerates the train from rest to 0.620 m/s in 21.0 ms. The total
mass of the train is 875 g. Find the average power delivered to the drain during the acceleration.

22) A 700.0-N Marine in basic training climbs a 10.0-m vertical rope at a constant speed in 8.00 s. What
is his power output?

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23) A skier of mass 70.0 kg is pulled up a slope by a motor-driven cable. (a) How much work is required
to pull him a distance of 60.0 m up a 30.0° slope (assumed frictionless) at a constant speed of 2.00 m/s?
(b) A motor of what power is required to perform this task?

24) An energy-efficient lightbulb, taking in 28.0 W of power, can produce the same level of brightness as a
conven-tional bulb operating at power 100 W. The lifetime of the energy efficient bulb is 10 000 h and its
purchase price is $17.0, whereas the conventional bulb has life-time of 750 h and costs $0.420 per bulb.
Determine the total savings obtained by using one energy-efficient bulb over its lifetime, as opposed to
using conventional bulbs over the same time period. Assume an energy cost of $0.0800 per kilowatt-hour.

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25) A person with a remote mountain cabin plans to install her own hydroelectric plant. A nearby stream
is 3.00 m wide and 0.500 m deep. Water flows at 1.20 m/s over the brink of a waterfall 5.00 m high. The
manufacturer promises only 25.0% efficiency in converting the potential energy of the water-Earth system
into electric energy. Find the power she can generate. (Large-scale hydroelectric plants, with a much
larger drop, are more efficient.)

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26) A bead slides without friction around a loop-the-loop as shown. The bead is released from a height h
= 3.50R. (a) What is its speed at point A? (b) How large is the normal force on it if its mass is 5.00 g?

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27) A loaded ore car has a mass of 950.0 kg and rolls on rails with negligible friction. It starts from rest
and is pulled up a mine shaft by a cable connected to a winch. The shaft is inclined at 30.0° above the
horizontal. The car accelerates uniformly to a speed of 2.20 m/s in 12.0 s and then con-tinues at constant
speed. (a) What power must the winch motor provide when the car is moving at constant speed? (b) What
maximum power must the winch motor provide? (c) What total energy transfers out of the motor by work
by the time the car moves off the end of the track, which is of length I 250 m?

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28) An object of mass m starts from rest and slides a distance d down a
frictionless incline of angle θ. While sliding, it contacts an unstressed
spring of negligible mass as shown. The object slides an additional
distance x as it is brought momentarily to rest by compression of the
spring (of force constant k). Find the initial separation d between object
and spring.

29) Two objects are connected by a light string passing over a light
frictionless pulley as shown. The object of mass 5.00 kg is released from
rest. Using the principle of conservation of energy, (a) determine the speed
of the 3.00-kg object just as the 5.00-kg object hits the ground. (b) Find the
maximum height to which the 3.00-kg object rises.

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30) A light rigid rod is 77.0 cm long. Its top end is pivoted on a low-friction horizontal axle. The rod hangs
straight down at rest with a small massive ball attached to its bottom end. You strike the ball, suddenly
giving it a horizontal velocity so that it swings around in a full circle. What minimum speed at the bottom is
required to make the ball go over the top of the circle?

31) A 2.00-kg ball is attached to the bottom end of a length of fishline with a breaking strength of 10.0 lb
(44.5 N). The top end of the fishline is held stationary. The ball is released from rest with the line taut and
horizontal (θ = 90.0°). At what angle θ (measured from the vertical) will the fishline break?

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32) The system shown consists of a light inextensible cord, light frictionless pulleys, and blocks of equal
mass. It is initially held at rest so that the blocks are at the same height above the ground. The blocks are
then released. Find the speed of block A at the moment when the vertical separation of the blocks is h.

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33) A 4.00-kg particle moves from the origin to position C, having coordinates x = 5.00 m ad y = 5.00 m.
One force on the particle is the gravitational force acting in the negative y direction (see figure). Using the
dot product equation for a constant force, calculate the work done by the gravitational force in going from
O to C along (a) OAC, (b) OBC, (c) OC. Your results should all be identical. Why?

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34) Suppose that a constant force acts on an object. The force does not vary with time, nor with the
position or the velocity of the object. Start with the general integral definition for work done by a force and
show that the force is conservative. (b) As a special case, suppose that the force F = (3i + 4j) N acts on a
par-ticle that moves from O to C in the above problem. Calculate the work done by F if the particle moves
along each one of the three paths OAC, OBC, and OC. (Your three answers should be identical.)

35) A particle of mass m = 5.00 kg is released from point A and slides on the frictionless track shown.
Determine (a) the particle's speed at points B and C and (b) the net work done by the gravitational force
in moving the particle from A to C.

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36) A single constant force F = (3.00!̂ + 5.00#̂) N acts on a 4.00-kg particle. (a) Calculate the work done
by this force if the particle moves from the origin to the point having the vector position r = (2.00!̂ -3.00#̂)
m. Does this result depend on the path? Explain. (b) What is the speed of the particle at r if its speed at
the origin is 4.00 m/s? (c) What is the change in the potential energy?

37) At time ti, the kinetic energy of a particle is 30.0 J and the potential energy of the system to which it
belongs is 10.0 J. At some later time tf, the kinetic energy of the particle is 18.0 J. (a) If only conservative
forces act on the particle, what are the potential energy and the total energy at time tf? (b) If the potential
energy of the system at time tf is 5.00 J, are there any nonconservative forces acting on the particle?
Explain.

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38) In her hand a softball pitcher swings a ball of mass 0.250 kg around a vertical circular path of radius
60.0 cm before releasing it from her hand. The pitcher maintains a component of force on the ball of
constant magnitude 30.0 N in the direction of motion around the complete path. The speed of the ball at
the top of the circle is 15.0 m/s. If she releases the ball at the bottom of the cir-cle, what is its speed upon
release?

39) An electric scooter has a battery capable of supplying 120.0 Wh of energy. If friction forces and other
losses account for 60.0% of the energy usage, what altitude change can a rider achieve when driving in
hilly terrain, if the rider and scooter have a combined weight of 890.0 N?

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40) The coefficient of friction between the 3.00-kg block and the surface as shown is 0.400. The system
starts from rest. What is the speed of the 5.00-kg ball when it has fallen 1.50 m?

41) A boy in a wheelchair (total mass 47.0 kg) wins a race with a skateboarder. The boy has a speed 1.40
m/s at the crest of a slope 2.60 m high and 12.4 m long. At the bottom of the slope his speed is 6.20 m/s.
If air resistance and rolling resistance can be modeled as a constant friction force of 41.0 N, find the work
he did in pushing forward on his wheels during the downhill ride.

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42) A 5.00-kg block is set into motion up an inclined plane with an initial
speed of 8.00 m/s as shown. The block comes to rest after traveling
3.00 m along the plane, which is inclined at an angle of 30.0° to the
horizontal. For this motion, determine (a) the change in the block’s
kinetic energy, (b) the change in the potential energy of the block-Earth
system, and (c) the friction force exerted on the block (assumed to be
constant). (cl) What is the coefficient of kinetic friction?

Zero Line

(b) To find when the ball has its maximum speed, we need to
find where the acceleration is equal to zero.
åF x = Fs - F f = ma x = m(0) = 0 Þ Fs = F f Þ kx = F f
Ff 0.032
x= = = 0.40cm = 0.0040m
k 8
So the ball has moved 5 – 0.4 = 4.6 cm from the start
Why is the maximum velocity where the acceleration is zero?
When Fs > Ff the ax > 0 and the velocity is increasing.
When Fs < Ff the ax < 0 and the velocity is decreasing. When you go from an increasing to a decreasing
velocity, you have reached a maximum velocity.

m
v f = 1.7872 » 1.79
s

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43) A 50.0-kg block and a 100.0-kg block are connected by a string as
shown. The pulley is frictionless and of negligible mass. The coefficient
of kinetic friction between the 50.0-kg block and the incline is 0.250.
Determine the change in the kinetic energy of the 50.0-kg block as it
moves from A to B, a distance of 20.0 m.

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44) A uniform board of length L is sliding along a smooth
(frictionless) horizontal plane as shown in part (a). The board
then slides across the boundary with a rough horizontal
surface. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the board
and the second surface is μk. (a) Find the acceleration of the
board at the moment its front end has traveled a distance x
beyond the boundary. (b) The board stops at the moment its
back end reaches the boundary, as shown in part(b). Find the initial speed v of the board.

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45) A single conservative force acting on a particle varies as F = (-Ax +Bx2)!̂ N, where A and B are
constants and x is in meters. (a) calculate the potential-energy function U(x) associated with this force,
taking U = 0 at x = 0. (b) Find the change in potential energy and the change in kinetic energy as the
particle moves from x = 2.00 m to x = 3.00 m

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46) A single conservative force acts on a 5.00-kg particle. The equation Fx = (2.00x +4.00) N describes
the force, where x is in meters. As the particle moves along the x axis from x = 1.00 m to x = 5.00m,
calculate (a) the work done by this force, (b) the change in the potential energy of the system, and (c) the
kinetic energy of the article at x = 5.00 m if its speed is 3.00 m/s at x = 1.00 m.

47) A potential-energy function for a two-dimensional force is of the form U = 3x3y – 7x. Find the force
that acts at the point (x,y).

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48) A right circular cone can be balanced on a horizontal surface in three different ways. Sketch these
three equilibrium configurations, and identify them as positions of stable, unstable, or neutral equilibrium.

49) For the potential energy curve shown, (a) determine whether the force Fx
is positive, negative, or zero at the five points indicated. (b) Indicate points of
stable, unstable, and neutral equilibrium. (c) Sketch the curve for Fx versus x
from x = 0 to x = 9.5 m.

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50) A particle moves along a line where the potential
energy of its system depends on its position r as
graphed in the figure. In the limit as r increases without
bound, U( r) approaches + 1 J. (a) Identify each
equilibrium position for this particle. Indicate whether
each is a point of stable, unstable, or neutral equilibrium.
(b) The particle will be bound if the total energy of the
system is in what range? Now suppose that the system
has energy -3 J. Determine (c) the range of positions
where the particle can be found, (d) its maximum kinetic
energy, (e) the location where it has maximum kinetic
energy, and (f) the binding energy of the system-that is,
the additional energy that it would have to be given in
order for the particle to move out to r → ∞.

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