CONSERVATION OF ENERGY

ENERGY – is that property whose possession enables something to perform work. Work and Energy have
the same units. Both are scalar quantities.

Types of Mechanical Energy

1. Kinetic energy – energy possessed by a body due to its motion.
K = ½ mv 2
where: m = mass in kg, gm, slug
v = speed in m/s, cm/s, ft/s
K = kinetic energy
Units of energy
1 N-m = 1 Joule (J)
1 dyne-cm = 1 erg
Ft-lb

2. Potential Energy (U) – energy possessed by a body due to its position.

U = mgh
g = gravitational acceleration
h = distance of the body from the reference line or point
U = potential energy

Conservation of Energy – the total amount of energy in a system isolated from the rest of the universe
always remains constant, although energy transformation from one form to another may
occur within the system.

A falling ball provides a simple example of conservation of energy.

m = 1 kg U K U + K (mechanical energy)
50 m 490 J 0 490 J

40 m v 392 J 98 J 490 J

30 m 294 J 196 J 490 J

20 m 196 j 294 j 490 J

10 m 98 J 392 J 490 J

0m 0 490 J 490 J

K1 + U1 = K2 + U2 = U3 + K3 (friction and air resistance were neglected)

At 50 m U = mgh = (1 kg)(9.8 m/s 2)(50 m) = 490 J K = 1/2mv 2 = 0

At 40 m U = (1 kg)(9.8 m/s2)(40 m) = 392 J v 22 = v12 – 2gy

v 22 = 0 – 2(9.8)(-10 m) = 196 m2/s2
K = ½ (1 kg)(196) = 98 J

At 30 m U = (1 kg)(9.8 m/s2)(30 m) = 294 J K = ½(1 kg)(392) = 196 J

V22 = -2(9.8)(-20 m) = 392 m2/s2

Experiment 7
x = vo cos0t o = 00
x = v ot
vo = x/t

y = vo sinot – 1/2gt2
-y = - 1/2gt2
t = 2y/g

Given: x = _____, y = _____, vo = ?

x = v0 cosot

vo = x/t

y = vo sin o t – 1/2gt2
-y = -1/2gt2
t = 2y/g
K1 + U1 = K2 + U2