Chapter Seven: Work, Energy and Power

Work Calculations

1) Work Done by a Constant Force

W = F.d = Fd cos 
SI Units: N.m = Joule

Work is a scalar quantity.

• The sign of the work depends on the direction of (F) relative to (d):
1. Positive: θ=0. (F cos θ)
2. Zero: θ =90, r=0. (n, mg)
3. Negative: θ =180. (fk)

• Work is a Transfer of Energy: The System either gains energy (if W > 0)
or loses energy ( if W < 0).

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1) A (10 kg) object is pulled along a horizontal frictionless surface as shown.
Find the work done by the force (F) (in units of J).
A) 108.3 B) 65 C) 43.3 D) 86.6
Solution:

F=25N
30

d=4 m

2) A force (F=100 N) is applied to an object (m=10 kg), if the object is

moved a distance (d=10 m) on a rough horizontal surface ( k = 0.1 ). Find the work
done by the frictional force (in units of J).
A) –13 B) –150 C) –50 D) –100
Solution:

F=100N
30

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3) How much work is done by a person lifting a (2 kg) object from the
bottom of a well at a constant speed of (2 m/s) for (5 s) (in units of kJ)?
A) 0.22 B) 0.2 C) 0.24 D) 0.27 E) 0.31
Solution:

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2) Work Done by a Constant Force (Vectors)

4) A force F =-15j N acts on a particle as it moves from the origin to the

point (3i + 3j -k) m. How much work is done by the given force during this?
A) 45J B) -45J C) 30J D) -30J

5) A force F = 2iˆ − 6jˆ (N) is applied on an object of mass (m=2 kg). What is the
work done by this force as the mass moves from the origin to the point (2,3),
(in units of J)
A) +14 B) –14 C) +22 D) –22
Solution:

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3) Work Done by a Variable Force

‫اذا كانت القوة موضحة برسم بياني عندها‬

W= area (‫)المساحة‬

6) An object moving along the x axis is acted upon by a force F x that varies
with position as shown. What work is done by this force as the object moves
from (x=2 m) to (x=8 m) (in units of J)?
A) –10 B) +10 C) +30 D) –30 E)
+40
Solution:

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7) What is the work done by the varying force shown in the 20
F(N)

graph (in units of J)? x(m)

B) 350 A) 300 5 10 15 20 25
D) 500 C) 250 -20
Solution:

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‫اذا كانت القوة المتغيرة اقتران على المسافه عنها يكون الشغل هو التكامل‬

• In one dimension, for F = F(x), the bottom line is that the work is the
integral of the (F vs. x) curve:

xf

W =  F ( x ) dx
xi
This is the Area under the (F vs. x) curve

8) If an object moves in a straight line from the origin (x=0 m) to (x=2 m)

by a force F = 3x (N) . Find the work done on the object (in units of J):
A) 6 B) 12 C) 13.5 D) 24

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9) Example: an ideal spring:
• Characterized by a spring constant k.
• Hooke’s Law:" restoring force"

Fs = − x

Work Done by Spring

xf
1 2 1 2
Ws =  ( −kx ) dx =
xi
2
kx i − kx f
2

10) The force an ideal spring exerts on an object is given by ( Fx = −x ) ,

where x measures the displacement of the object from its equilibrium position
(x=0 m). If (  = 60 N / m) , how much work is done by this force as the object
moves from (x= –0.2 m) to (x= 0 m) (in units of J)?
A) –1.2 B) +1.2 C) +2.4 D) –2.4 E) +3.6
Solution:

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4) Work and Kinetic Energy

What is the kinetic energy?

1 2
K = mv
2
)‫الشغل اذا كان فيه تغير بالسرعة (يوجد سرعتان ومطلوب حساب الشغل‬

1 2 1 2
Wnet = mvf − mvi
2 2

Wnet = K = K f − K i = mvf − mvi = m ( vf2 − vi2 )

1 2 1 2 1
2 2 2

11) When a net force acts on a (2 kg) mass, the mass changes its velocity

from vi = 2iˆ − 3jˆ (m / s) to vf = ˆi − 5jˆ (m / s) . What is the net work done by

this force (in units of J)?
A) 16 B) 18 C) 21 D) 13
Solution:

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12) An object on a horizontal surface moving with initial velocity (vi=10 m/s)
stops due to friction after it has moved a distance (d=10 m), find the coefficient
of kinetic friction.
A) 0.05 B) 0.2 C) 1 D) 0.5
Solution:

13) (3 kg) block is dragged over a rough horizontal surface by a constant

force of (16 N) acting at an angle of (37°) above the horizontal as shown. The
speed of the block increases from (4 m/s) to (6 m/s) in a displacement of (5
m). What work was done by the friction force during this displacement (in units
of J)?
A) –34 B) –64 C) –30
D) –94 E) +64
Solution:
WT = K  WF + Wfk = K

m ( vf2 − vi2 )
1
 Fd cos37 + Wfk =
2
 Wfk =  3  ( 62 − 42 ) − 16  5  cos 37 = −34 J
1
2

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14) If the resultant force acting on a (2 kg) object equals to F = ˆi + 4jˆ (N) , what
is the change in the kinetic energy as the object moves a displacement
d = 4iˆ −13jˆ (m) (in units of J)?
A) – 48 B) 18 C) – 32 D) 13
Solution:
( )( )
K = W = F  d = ˆi + 4jˆ  4iˆ − 13jˆ = (1 4 ) + ( 4  −13) = −48 J

15) The only force acting on a (1.6 kg) body as it moves along the x axis is
given in the figure. If the velocity of the body at (x=2 m) is (5 m/s), what is
its kinetic energy at (x=5 m) (in units of J)?
A) 52 B) 44 C) 36
D) 60 E) 25
Solution:

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16) A (2 kg) body moving along the x axis has a velocity (v=5 m/s) at (x=0
m). The only force acting on the object is given by Fx = −4x ( N ) , where x is in m.
For what value of x will this object first come momentarily to rest (in units of
m)?
A) 4.2 B) 3.5 C) 5.3 D)
6.4 E) 5

Solution:

17) Imagine that an object of mass (2 kg) has a position vector x(t) = 3t + 5t 3 (m)
Calculate the work done on the particle over the time interval from (0 s) to (1
s) (in units of J).
A) 78 B) 157 C) 235 D) 393
E) 315
Solution:

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18) The only force acting on a (0.5 kg) object as it moves along the x axis
is given by Fx = 4x3 ( N ) where x is measured in m. If the speed of the object
at (x=0 m) is equal to (3.5 m/s), what is its speed (in units of m/s) at (x=2
m)?
A) 8.7 B) 9.2 C) 9.4 D) 9.7 E) 4

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5) Work and Gravitational Potential Energy

Gravitational Potential Energy

Ug = mgh
h = distance above Earth (reference point)
• Consider a problem in which the height of a mass above the Earth changes
from (hi) to (hf); Change in Gravitational Potential Energy is:

U = mg ( h f − h i )

• Work done on the mass by gravitational

force:

Wmg = −U g = − mg ( h f − h i )

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19) A (5 kg) block is set into motion up an inclined plane. The block comes to
rest after travelling (3 m) along the inclined plane which is inclined at (θ=30°)
to the horizontal. Determine the change in the potential energy of the block (in
units of J).
A) 90 B) 75 C) 120 D) 130
Solution:
ΔU = mgh = mgd sin θ = 5 10  3  sin 30 = 75 J

30

20) In the figure shown, the work done by the gravitational force (in units of
J) to move a (3 kg) block from point A to point B is.
A) 90 B) ‒90 C) 180 D) ‒180
Solution:
Wg = −ΔU = −mgh = − mgd sin θ = −3  10  6  sin 30 = −90 J

B
d=6m

A
30

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21) An (80 N) crate slides with constant speed a distance of (5 m) downward
along a rough slope that makes an angle of (30°) with the horizontal. The work
done by the force of gravity (in units of J) is:
A) ‒400 B) ‒200 C) ‒69 D) 200
E) 400
Solution:
Wg = ΔU = mgh = mgd sin θ = 80  5  sin 30 = 200 J

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Very important notes about potential energy

1) If U(x) known find the force ‫اذا كانت الطاقة الكامنة موجوده وطلب‬
‫حساب القوة‬

𝑭 = −𝒅𝑼/𝒅𝒙

22) A potential energy function for force is of the form U(x)= 3x3 -7x (Joule)
. Find the force that acts at the point (x=1 m), (in units of N).
A) 9 B) 7 C) 2 D) 1

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2) If is known find the potential U ‫اذا القوة موجودة احسب الطاقة الكامنه‬

xf

U = Uf − Ui = −  Fx dx
xi

23) As a particle moves along the x axis it is acted upon by a single

conservative force given by F(x) = 20 − 4x (N) where (x) is in (m). The potential
energy associated with this force has the value (-30 J) at the origin (x=0).
What is the value of the potential energy at (x=4 m) (in units of J)?
A) ‒78 B) +78 C) ‒18 D)
+48 E) +80
Solution:
xf 4
U f − U i = −  F ( x ) dx  U f − − 30 = −  ( 20 − 4x ) dx
xi 0

 Uf = −30 − ( 20x − 2x 2 ) = −30 − 48 = −78 J

4

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Power
• Power ≡ Rate at which work is done or rate at which energy is transformed.
Average Power:

W
Pavg =
t
Instantaneous Power:
dE dW
P= =
dt dt
• It is convenient to write power in terms of force and velocity. For force (F)
and displacement (d) making angle (θ) with (F).

P = F v = Fv cos 
• SI power units = Joule/Second = Watt (W).
1 W = 1 J/s

24) A worker raised a construction material of mass (m=1000 kg) to a height

(h=10 m) during (30 minutes) with constant speed. The power delivered by the
worker (in units of W) is:
A) 833 B) 14 C) 56 D) 3333
Solution:
W mgh 1000  10  10
P= = = = 56 W
t t 30  60

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25) A motor pulls blocks of mass (300 kg) each time with constant speed of
(2 m/s) upward. The power delivered by this motor to lift the blocks (in units
of W) is:
A) 6000 B) 9000 C) 12000 D) 7500
Solution:
F y = 0  F − mg = 0  F = mg = 300 10 = 3000 N
P = Fvcos  = 3000  2  cos0 = 6000 W

26) A force: F = 2iˆ + 6jˆ (N) acting on a particle. What is the power (in units of
W) when the speed of this particle is: v = 5iˆ + ˆj (m/s) ?
A) 4 B) 16 C) 8 D) 32
Solution:
( )( )
P = F.v = 2iˆ + 6jˆ  5iˆ + ˆj = ( 2  5) + ( 6 1) = 16 W

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27) A (2 kg) block slides down a plane (inclined at 40° with the horizontal) at
a constant speed of (5 m/s). At what rate is the gravitational force on the
block doing work (in units of W)?
A) +98 B) +64 C) zero D) +75 E) –75
Solution:
P = Fg v cos  = mgv cos 50 = 2 10  5  cos 50 = +64 W

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