Chapter 8

Power

Details and Figures in this presentation are taken from: Halliday, David, Robert Resnick, Jearl Walker. Principles of Physics, 10 th Ed, University
Physics by Young and Freedman, 11 th Ed, Physics for Scientists and Engineers by Serway, 5 th Ed, Physics for Scientists and engineers by
Giancoli 3rd Ed, and many websites like physicsclassroom.com, HyperPhysics.com & Past exams of PHYCS 101 Department of Physics at
UoB.

Dr. Khalil Ebrahim, PHYCS 101, 2nd Semester 2019-2020

 Power
Is the rate at which work is
done.

Average power Instantaneous power

W E dW dE
Pav   P 
t t dt dt
Dr. Khalil Ebrahim, PHYCS 101, 2nd Semester 2019-2020
 Power
Is the rate at which work is
done.

 
Pav F  Unit of power is J/s = Watt

(1 hp = 746 Watt).
Pav F  cos  Power is scalar quantity
Dr. Khalil Ebrahim, PHYCS 101, 2nd Semester 2019-2020
 Kilowatt-hour
 One kilowatt-hour (kWh) is the energy transferred in 1 h at the
constant rate of 1 kW = 1000 J/s.

The amount of energy represented by 1kWh:

1 kWh = (103 W)(3600 s) = 3.60  106 J = 3.60 MJ
A kilowatt-hour is a unit of energy, not power.

When you pay your electric bill, you are buying energy, and the
amount of energy transferred by electrical transmission into a home
during the period represented by the electric bill is usually expressed
in kilowatt-hours.
Suppose an electric bulb is rated at 100 W. In 1.00 h of operation, it would
have energy transferred to it by electrical transmission in the amount of
(0.100 kW)(1.00 h) = 0.100 kWh = 3.60  105 J = 360 kJ.
Dr. Khalil Ebrahim, PHYCS 101, 2nd Semester 2019-2020
 Test Problem
a)105
A runner of mass m = 50 kg changes his speed from
 = 2 m/s to  = 5 m/s in 5 s. What is the power
Wi f
output of the runner?
b)126
W
c)147
v 1 v2
W Solution
d)168 1 1
m2  m12
2

W W K 2 2
 Pav   
e)189 t t t
W 625  100
Pav  105W
5
Dr. Khalil Ebrahim, PHYCS 101, 2nd Semester 2019-2020
 Test Problem
A man with mass 80 kg runs up the stairs a vertical distance h = 6 m
in 2 s. His average power output (in watts) is:

a) 1600
b) 2400
c) 3200
d) 4000 Solution
e) 4800 W
 Pav 
t
mg h 800 6
 Pav   2400 W
t 2
Dr. Khalil Ebrahim, PHYCS 101, 2nd Semester 2019-2020
 Example
If Fatoma lifts her 40-kg body a distance of 0.25 meters in 2 seconds,
then what is the power delivered by Fatoma’s biceps?
Solution
 
W F d Fd cos
 W mgh 40 10 0.25
W 100 J
W 100 J
 Pav   50W
t 2s
Dr. Khalil Ebrahim, PHYCS 101, 2nd Semester 2019-2020
 Test Problem
A 250 kg box is raised by a wench at a constant velocity of 0.3 m/s.
What is the power of the wench?

a)500 W
b)750 W
c)1000 W
d)1250 W
e)1500 W Solution
 
 Pav F  F  cos 
 Pav mg  cos 0 2500 0.3 750 W
Dr. Khalil Ebrahim, PHYCS 101, 2nd Semester 2019-2020
Extra Solved
Test Problems

Dr. Khalil Ebrahim, PHYCS 101, 2nd Semester 2019-2020

 Test Problem
A 60 kg man runs a flight of stairs 3 m high in 5 s.
Find his average power output?

a) 300 W
b) 360 W
c) 420 W 3m
d) 480 W
e) 540 W Solution

 W mgh 60 10 3 180 J

W 1800 J
 Pav   600W
t 5s
Dr. Khalil Ebrahim, PHYCS 101, 2nd Semester 2019-2020
 Test Problem
A girl of mass 40 kg climbs a rope of 6 m length at constant speed in 8
s. What is the girl’s power output (in Watt)?

a) 250
b) 300 Solution
c) 350
d) 400  W mgh 40 10 6
e) 450
W 2400 J
W 2400 J
 Pav   300W
t 8s
Dr. Khalil Ebrahim, PHYCS 101, 2nd Semester 2019-2020
 Test Problem
Salim has a mass 60 kg climbs a hill of height h = 6 m in time t = 4 s.
His average power output in (Watt) is:

a) 1800
b) 1200
c) 900
d) 720 Solution
e) 600
 W mgh 60 10 6 3600 J
W 3600 J
 Pav   900 W
t 4s
Dr. Khalil Ebrahim, PHYCS 101, 2nd Semester 2019-2020
 Test Problem
How long it takes a 70 kg hiker to reach the top of a hill of height h =
50 m if he is consuming 1.34 hp at constant speed? (1 hp = 746 Watt).

Solution
W mg h
 Pav  
t t
700 50
1.34 746 1000 W
t
35000
t  35 s
1000

Dr. Khalil Ebrahim, PHYCS 101, 2nd Semester 2019-2020

 Test Problem
A car engine has a power of 500 hp as the car moves with constant
speed of  = 37.3 m/s. Find the magnitude of the force, resisting the
motion of the car. (1 hp = 746 Watt)
a) 18650 N 
b) 14920 N
c) 10000 N F
d) 9325 N
e) 7460 N Solution
 
 Pav F  F  cos 
500 746  F 37.3   F 10000 N
Dr. Khalil Ebrahim, PHYCS 101, 2nd Semester 2019-2020
 Test Problem
A 1500 kg car travels at a constant speed of 10 m/s when its engine
delivers 40 kW of power. The net force (in N) resisting the motion is:

(a) 1250 Solution

(b) 1600
(c) 2000 W
 Pav  F  cos 
(d) 2500 t
(e) 4000
40000 F 10 cos 0
40000 10 F
F 4000 N
Dr. Khalil Ebrahim, PHYCS 101, 2nd Semester 2019-2020