PHY 101

ALABI, B.A

1. Conservation principles in physics

2. Conservative forces
3. Conservation of linear momentum
4. Kinetic energy, potential energy and work
5. System of particles

Conservation principles in physics are: conservation of mass, energy, charges, momentum.

1. The conservation of mass states that matter cannot be created or destroyed, it can only
be changed from one form to another. This principle is essential in chemistry where it
is known as the law of conservation of mass. It explains why the total mass of
chemical reaction remains constant, regardless of the number and types of reactants
and products involved. This means that 10g of reactant A reacts with 5g of reactant B,
product AB will have a mass of 15g. Thus, mass is conserved.

2. Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy can neither be created nor
destroyed. It can be transformed from one form to another. Putting all forms of energy
into account, the total energy of an isolated system always remains constant. All
forms of energy such as heat, electrical, chemical, nuclear e.t.c follow the law of
conservation of energy. In brief, the law of conservation of energy states that in a
closed system, i.e a system that is isolated from it surroundings, the total energy of the
system is conserved.

In physics, most of the inventions rely on the fact that energy is conserved when it is
transferred from one form to another. A number of electrical and mechanical devices
operate solely on the law of conservation of energy. Examples are:
- Hydroelectric power plants, loudspeakers, microphones, generators, fuel, chemical
energy from food.

3. Law of conservation of charge

A charge is a property associated with the matter due to which it produces and
experiences electrical and magnetic effects.
This law states that the net charge of an isolated system will always remains constant.
For instance, an object with net neutral charge implies that there is equal number of
proton and electron. i.e. for each proton, there is an electron to balance it.

4. Law of conservation of momentum: states that the total momentum of all objects
interacting with one another remains constant regardless of the nature of the forces
between the objects. i.e. when a system of interacting object is not influenced by
outside forces (like friction), the total momentum of the system cannot change.

Collision of the objects: there are 3 types of collision;

Elastic, Inelastic, Perfectly inelastic collision.

- Elastic collision: This is the type of collision in which two objects move separately
with different velocities but with no permanent deformation.
- Inelastic collision is the one in which two objects deform so that the object moves in
the same direction but with different final velocities after colliding.
- Perfectly inelastic is a collision in which two objects stick together and move with the
same velocity after colliding.
Note: In elastic collision, energy is not lost but in inelastic collision, energy is lost i.e.
not conserved.
 Assignment

A 6.0kg body moving with a speed of 4 meter per second collide with a body twice its mass
and moving with half of its body with speed in the same direction. After collision, the 6.0kg
body moves in opposite direction with a speed of 2.0 meter per second. Find the final velocity
of the heavier body.