WORK ENERGY AND POWER

Work done means “Energy change” or the displacement of a ‘Force’.

If a force is applied on an object and the object moved a displacement
and stopped, then it is said that the force moved a displacement, and the
work done can be calculated by the following equation:

Work done = Force applied × Displacement

W=F.d
Applied force and the displacement must be in the same direction.

F • •

If the force and the displacement are not in the same direction then the
component of the force (or the component of the displacement) which is
in the same direction of the displacement must be multiplied.
d
F

• F cos 
•

Thus the component of the force along the displacement is F cosθ. So

the work done for this purpose is
W =F cosθ .d …………………..(b)
W =F d cos θ ………………………..(c)
Work done is a scalar quantity, i.e. it does not depend on the direction,
and the unit of work is ‘joule’ (J). ‘1J work means that an object moved
a distance of 1m against an opposing force of 1N’.

1 J =1 N .1 m[1 J work done ]

If the box is lifted against the gravitational pull (with a constant speed)
then the same amount of force must be applied upward as the earth is
applying downward.

• Note: The work is done when sliding

on a surface due to the frictional
force. Thus to find the work done

d=h opposing force should be multiplied

F = Fg
with the displacement.

Fg = mg

The amount of force applied on the box will be same as the weight i.e.
‘mg’ and in case of perpendicular displacement it is the vertical height ‘h’.
Therefore:
W=F.d (here F is the gravitational force)
W = m.g.h (as F = mg and d = h).
X2
So here work done is equal to gravitational potential energy gain by the
box when it is lifted a vertical height ‘h’.
As W = F. d therefore:
 WF ……………….. (1)
Wd ……………….. (2)
1
F ………………..(3)
d
Thus if more force is needed to move an object in the same distance then
more work will be done and if the object is pushed a longer distance then
more work will be done. Again in the Earth’s gravitational field work done
due to height gain is W = m g h . Thus:
W m …………………(4)
W h …………………. (5) (g is constant)
Thus if a massive object is lifted more force will be required and more
work will be done, and if the object is lifted a greater height (must be
inside a uniform gravitational field) then more work will be done.
NOTES:
i. An opposing force must change a displacement, to make a work
done. If a force is applied and no displacement then there will be no
work done The applied force and the displacement must be in
parallel to make a work done. If the applied force and the
displacement are in the same direction then the work done is
positive.
ii. If the applied force and the displacement moved are perpendicular
to each other then there will be no work done.

iii. The object must move with a constant speed. So that the applied
force and the frictional forces are same. Work is always done by the
opposing force.

Force applied
Displacement

Displacement Force
Work done in this diagram is ‘Zero’ Work done in this diagram is not ‘Zero’ as
as the force and the displacement is the force and the displacement are in
perpendicular to each other. parallel.

iv. A type of energy must be converted into another type of energy

when a work is done. If the energy does not change then there is
no work done.
v. The amount of energy change is the amount of work done.
Worked Out Examples:
1. A box of mass 5kg is pushed along an inclined plane of 4m with a
force of 30N, in 5seconds. The inclined plane makes an angle of 30 o
with the horizon and gains a vertical height of 2m.

4m

2m 30N

30o

Calculate: i. Gain in GPE.

ii. Energy used to move this box along the inclined plane.
iii. The amount of heat produced.
iv. The amount of frictional force.
i. GPE = m.g.h 5kg. 10N/kg . 2m = 100J
ii. When the box was pushed along the inclined plane work was
done due to friction of the inclined plane and the gravitational force.
And the total energy change is the work done. Thus:
W = F. d W = 30N . 4m W = 120J
 iii. If the box was lifted vertically to the height 2m then the
energy needed would be same as GPE as 100J. As it is slid along the
inclined plane due to friction extra energy was needed. This extra
energy will be converted into heat. Thus:
Heat = (120J - 100J) = 20J. This is the work done against the
friction.
iv. Thus to find the frictional force by considering the work done
against the friction, the frictional force can be calculated:
W = F.d
20J = F . 4m
F = 5N Friction in that plane is 5N.

Energy:
Energy is the capacity of doing work. The unit of energy is ‘joule’ (J),
and it is a scalar quantity.

Principle of conservation of energy:

‘Energy cannot be created nor be destroyed. Energy can be
converted from one type to another. The amount of energy in this
universe is always same’.

Types of Energy:

i. Potential energy: this energy which an object possesses because

of its position, shape, or state. There are several different types of
potential energies. Potential energy is also the Energy that can be
stored.
ii. Gravitational potential energy: The Energy gained by an object
due to its relative height in a Gravitational field
GPE=m g h ……………..(i)

iii. Kinetic Energy: Energy gained by an object for its motion. K.E can
be calculated by the equation:
1
E ke = m v ………………….(ii)
2
2

iv. Heat energy (Thermal energy): It is mainly the internal energy

of the particles.
Heat Energy=mc ∆ T …………………..(iii)

v. Sound energy.

vi. Electrical potential energy

 Electrical energy =V I t ………………… (iv)

vii. Light energy= Radiation energy

viii. Chemical potential energy.

ix. Nuclear potential energy. ¿ m c …………..(v)

2

1
x. Elastic potential energy = F . ∆ x ……………………(vi)
2

Gravitational Potential energy: when a mass changes it relative

position against a gravitaitonal pull then the object gains “Gravitational
Potential Energy”.
 GPE=m . g . h ………(a)
GPE ∝ m ………..(i)

GPE ∝ h ……………(ii)

2m

m
E/J

EGPE
2E h h 2EGPE

m/kg
m 2m

GPE ∝ m m

E/J m
2h

2E EGPE
h 2EGPE

h/m
h 2h

GPE ∝ h

When this object is released, the energy (GPE) will start converting to
Kinetic energy, just before hitting the ground all of its GPE will be
converted into KE, and the amount of KE will same as GPE. Therefore :
1 2
mgh= m v
2
 v=√ ( 2 gh ) …………….. (i)

here v is the final velocity just before the impact. Also:

2 2
v =u +2 gh

and as the object is just dropped, in this case the initial velocity u=0
.Thus
2
v =2 gh

v=√ ( 2 gh ) ……………………… (ii)

Kinetic Energy:
A moving object has kinetic energy due to its motion, and this
amount of energy can be calculated by the equation:
1 2
KE= m v ………………………. (ii)
2

KE = mad
 v vt v vt
KE=m a= d=
t 2 t 2

When a moving object applies the brake and comes to a rest then there is
an energy change and work is done.
The amount of work done is equal to the total amount of KE change into
heat and sound produced when the brakes are applied.
As the amount of work done is the KE change for a moving object so :
Work done:
1 2
W= mv
2
1 2
Fd= mv
2

And the braking distance :

2
mv
d=
2F

If it is considered that the maximum braking force F is same for a car

then the stopping distance ‘d’ is proportional to the square of the velocity
of the moving car. If the velocity of the moving car is doubled then
the stopping distance ‘d’ will be four times more than before.

Brak
ing
dist
anc
e/m

Velocity /m/s
When an object is thrown vertically upward then the KE of the object
converts into GPE as it gains height. At its maximum height all of its KE
converts into GPE, and the object starts to fall to the ground then the GPE
again converts into KE and just before the impact all the GPE converts
into KE. While dropping, the object has both KE and GPE.
 KE = 0
GPE= max

K G
E/ P
h J E/
J

KE = max GPE = 0

Height/m Height/m

The KE at the beginning is equal to the GPE at the maximm height. Here
it is assumed that no energy has been converted to heat due to air
friction or any other process.

When a pendulum oscilliates then the gravitatonal energy converts to

kinetic energy and then KE to the GPE…...
When the pendulum is at the position A then the object has a GPE due to
the height ‘h’ and no KE, as it is stopped. When it is released, then this
GPE will be converting to KE as it falls to the lowest point B, at the point
B it has the KE and no GPE and then again this KE will be converted to
GPE at the point C, this conversion will be continuous and due to air
friction gradually loses energy and comes to rest.
Sound Energy:
Sound is a kinetic energy due to the vibration of a material medium.
Sound is an oscillation which produces in materials. Sound needs a
matrerial medium to travel through. This energy canot be stored. In
energy conversion (Energy changes from one form to another) often the
end energy is sound, i.e. from a system, energy slips away as sound.
Electrical Potential Energy:
The energy stored in an electricfield due to charge distribution is called
electrical potential energy. This type of energy can be stored,thus it is
called potential energy. This energy can be converted in other different
forms like light, heat, sound etc. the electrical potential energy can be
calculated by the equation
i) E=V I t …………………(i)
Light: Light is a form of radiation, here the light means the visible light.
Light carries energy and by using a photo-cell (example solar panel,
photo-cell in the calclulator) this light energy can be converted into
electricity.
Chemical Potential Energy: The energy stored in fuel which releases in
the chemical reaction is called the chemical potential energy. Now the
main source of the energy in the world is chemical potential energy which
is found in Petrolium, natural gas, coal, (fossil fuel) fire wood etc. and
the main crisis all over the world is the energy crisis. The chemical
potential energy can be converted into electrical energy (diesel, gas,
petrolium generators), into KE (cars), heat energy (cooker), light (lamp)
and so on.

Nuclear Potential energy:

The energy which hold the protons and neutrons inside the nucleus is
called the nuclear energy. Nuclear energy can be calculated by the
equation
i) E=m c …………………(i)
2

NOTES:
i. The total amount of energy in this universe is constant.
ii. To calculate the energy of a system, calculate the amount of initial
energy (input energy) that should be the final amount of energy.
iii. Find the total amount of energy change that should be the work
done in that system.
iv. Different types of energy and their source must be able to be
identified.
v. In a system some energy will always be lost by mainly ‘heat’ and
‘sound’ that will give error in the final calculation. So when there is
a difference in the results as there is an energy lost.

Elastic potential Energy

Power: The amount of work done in 1 second is called power. Or

the amount of energy change in 1 second is called ‘Power’.

W
Thus : Power P= ………………..(a)
t
 E
P=
t ………………(b)

And E=P. t …………….(c)

W =P .t ……………(d)

W F.d d
P= = =F . =F . v
t t t
P=F v …………..(e)

Po
Po
w
w
er
er
/
/
w
w
at
at

Energy/J Time/s
1
P∝E P∝
t
- Power indicates, the machine can do the work (or convert energy)
at a faster rate.
- Power indicates, the machine can convert more energy in a certain
time.

The unit of power is ‘watt’. It is scalar quantity.

1 joule
(i) 1 Watt= ………………(i)
1 second

NOTES:
i. To calculate the power of a machine, first calculate the total energy
change or work done.
ii. Find the time taken for this energy change or work done. Convert
this time into second.
iii. Divide the work done or energy change by the time taken.

EFFICIENCY:
Efficiency is a comparison between the input energy and the useful output
energy. Every machine converts energy from one/more form into other
form/s of energy. Therefore by comparing the input energy and the useful
output energy the efficiency of a machine can be calculated.

Useful energy output

Efficiency = Total energy input × 100%
When we use coal for producing electricity by burning it, the total
chemical energy released by burning coal in the generator is not
converted into the electricity. Some part of the chemical energy of the
coal converts into sound and light and some parts of the heat produced is
absorbed by the parts of the machine, which are considered as ‘wasted’.
Therefore the electricity produced by any machine is always less than the
input energy

Useful output energy

Total Input Energy Heat
Total Input = Useful Output + (Heat + Sound)
Thus Total input > Useful output

Useful power output

Efficiency = Total power input × 100%

Efficiency of a heat engine:

The energy supplied to a machine from a heat source isQ1.
The useful work done isW .
The energy given out to the cold sink (Waste) isQ2.

Q1 Q2
Heat
Heat Source Engine Cold Sink

Work done

According to the law of conservation of energy principle:

Input Energy=Output energy
Q1=W + Q2 ………………….(a)

Which can be written, as:

W =Q1−Q2 …………………(b)

The efficiency of a heat engine is the ratio of useful output (Work done).
So:
W
efficiency =
Q1

( Q1−Q2 )
e= …………………(c)
Q1

Q2
e=1− …………………….(d)
Q1

It can be shown that if the Kelvin temperature of the heat source is T 1

and the Kelvin temperature of the cold sink (the point where the energy
is wasted) is T 2 then:
 (
Maximum efficiency= 1−
T2
T1 )

Work and Energy in a Wind Turbine:

The amount of air that hits the blades of the wind turbine per second has
the volume of this cylinder. Where the base area is the area sweep by the
blades and the length/sec is the velocity.
Thus the volume of the air hitting per second is = Volume of this cylinder.
2
Volume=π r h
2
Volume /s=π r Velocity

Thus if the density of the air is ρ then the mass of the air hitting the
blades per second is
m=V ρ

m/s=π r v ρ …………………….. (i)

2

So the impact force of the wind on the turbine in 1second is:

∆mv
F=
t
( π r 2 vρ ) v
F= ………………………. (ii)
1s

This equation is also applicable for the water turbine or steam turbine.