Sample Problems: Kinetic Energy

Monday, December 04, 2023 12:27 PM

A 1-kg ball of clay is thrown horizontally at a 1-kg block of wood which is at rest on the
floor, after which they get stuck together.

1. If the initial velocity of the clay is 1m/s, what is the velocity after collision?
pbefore = pafter
p1 + p2 = p1' + p2'
m1v1 + m2v2 = m1v1' + m2v2'

p1 + p2 = p'
m1v1 + m2v2 = m'v'
m1v1 + m2v2 = (m1 + m2)v'

G: m1 = 1kg
m2 = 1kg
v1 = 1m/s
v2 = 0
R: v' = ?
E: m1v1 + m2v2 = (m1 + m2)v'
S: (1kg)(1m/s) + (1kg)(0m/s) = (1kg + 1kg)v'
1kgm/s + 0 = (2kg)v'
1kgm/s/2kg = (2kg)v'/2kg
A: v' = 0.5m/s

2. What is the total kinetic energy of the system before collision?

KEbefore = KE1 + KE2

½m1v1² + ½m2v2²
½(1kg)(1m/s)² + ½(1kg)(0m/s)²
KEbefore = 0.5J

3. What is the total kinetic energy of the system after the collision?
KEafter = ½m'v'² ; m' = m1 + m2

½(m1 + m2)v'²
½(1kg + 1kg)(0.5m/s)²
KEafter = 0.25J

4. What is the total loss of kinetic energy of the system?

∆KE = KEafter – KEbefore

0.25J - 0.50J
-0.25J

A 500-gram lump of clay is initially moving through the air at a speed of 8m/s when it hits
and gets stuck to a 1.00-kg wooden block, initially at rest on the floor. Assuming negligible
friction between the wooden block and the floor, with what speed do the clay and wooden
block move together.

G: m1 = .50kg m2 = 1kg
v1 = 8m/s v2 = 0m/s
R: v' = ?
E: m1v1 + m2v2 = v'
S: (.50kg)(8m/s) + (1kg)(0) = v'
4/1.5 = 1.5v'/1.5
A: 2.67m/s

Heat:

Four identical beakers, A, B, C, D are placed on a large electrical hotplate. A and C are
half-full while B and D are full of water at the same initial temperature. A and are placed
on the hotplate for 2 minutes, C is left on for 8 minutes, and D is left on for 8 minutes. The
water does not boil in any of the beakers.

1. Which of the beakers of water will receive the most heat?

a. Letter C will receive the most
2. Which of the beakers of water will have the lowest temperature right before being
heated?
a. Letter B will have the least

A = ½v and 2t
C = ½v and 8t
B = 1v and 2t
D = 1v and 8t

Inside a cooler, you put a 1-kg block of ice at 0°C with a 1kg block of ice at -10°C. Does heat
transfer between the blocks of ice? Make an educated guess about the final temperature
inside the cooler.

Answer: Heat is defined as a difference in temperature, and thus, the difference in

temperature between the 0°C block of ice and the -10°C will result in a transfer of heat.

Thermodynamics:

A closed system absorbs 560 J of heat, and 580 J of work is done on it. What is the change
in the system's internal change?

G: Q = +560 J
W = -580 J
R = ∆U = ?
E = ∆U = Q – W
S = ∆U = +560 J - (-580 J)
A = ∆U = 1,140 J

A closed thermodynamic system absorbs 3,380 J of heat as an unknown amount of work is

done by the system. As a result, the system's internal energy has remained unchanged, how
much work is done by the system?

G: Q = +3.380 J
∆U = 0
R: W = ?
E: ∆U = Q – W
S: O = +3,380 J – W
-3,380 /-1 J = -W/-1
A: 3,380 J = W

A closed system absorbs 50 J of heat as 50 J of work is done on it. By how much does It's
internal energy change?

G: Q = +50 J
W = -50 J
R: ∆U = ?
E: ∆U = Q – W
S: ∆U = +50 J - (-50 J)
A: ∆U = 100 J

A closed thermodynamic system absorbs 100 J of heat, resulting in a net zero change in its
internal energy. How much work is involved in this process? Identify whether work is done
on or by the system.

G: Q = +100 J
∆U = 0
R: W = ?
E: ∆U = Q – W
S: 0 = +100 J – W

SAMPLE PROBLEMS Page 1

on or by the system.

G: Q = +100 J
∆U = 0
R: W = ?
E: ∆U = Q – W
S: 0 = +100 J – W
-100 J/-1 = -W/-1
A: 100 J = W
The work was done by the system

A closed system does 200 J of work and its internal energy goes up by 200 J. Does the
system absorb or lose heat? By how much?

G: W = +200 J
∆U = +200 J
R: Q = ?
E: ∆U = Q – W
S: 200 J = Q – 200 J
-Q = -200 J – 200 J
A: Q = 400 J
Heat was absorbed by the system

Heat Engines:

A heat engine performs 9200 J of mechanical work while discarding 4500 J to the heat sink.
(a) How much heat does it absorb from the hot reservoir? (b) What is the efficiency of the
heat engine?

G: W = 9200 J
QC = 4500 J
R: QH = ??? J
E = ???%
E: W = QH – QC
E = W/QH
S: 9200 J = QH – 4500 J
9200 J + 4500 J = QH
13700 J = QH
E = 9200 J/13700 J
E = 0.67
A: QH = 13700 J
E = 67%

(Diagram Representing a Heat Sink)

G: W = 750 J
QC = 500 J
R: QH = ??? J
E: W = QH – QC
S: 750 J = QH – 500 J
750 J + 500 J = QH
1250 J = QH
A : QH = 1250 J

An engine takes 8000 J and discards 4400 J of heat. (a) How much mechanical work does it
perform? (b) What is the thermal efficiency of this engine.

G: QH = 8000 J
QC = 4400 J
R: W = ??? J
E = ??%
E: W = QH – QC
E = W/QH
S: W = 8000 J – 4400 J
W = 8000 J – 4400 J
3600 J = W
E = 3600 J/8000 J
E = 0.45
A: W = 3600 J
E = 45%

(Diagram Representing a Heat Sink)

G: QH = 960 J
W = 920 J
R: QC = ??? J
E: W = QH – QC
S: 920 = 960 – QC
QC = 960 – 920
QC = 40
A: 40 J

An engine takes in 6400 J and discards 3600 J of heat. (a) How much mechanical work does
it perform (b) What is the thermal efficiency of the engine?

G: QH = 6400 J
QC = 3600 J
R: W = ??? J
E = ??? J
E: W = QH – QC
E = W/QH
S: W = 6400 – 3600
W = 2800
E = 2800/6400
E = 0.44
A: W = 1800 J
E = 0.44/44%

SAMPLE PROBLEMS Page 2