20.

T - Work, power and energy conservation - questions

Q1.
An electric motor of input power 100 W raises a mass of 10 kg vertically at a steady speed
of 0.5 m s–1. What is the efficiency of the system?

A 5%

B 12%

C 50%

D 100%
(Total 1 mark)

Q2.
A car exerts a driving force of 500 N when travelling at a constant speed of
72 km h–1 on a level track. What is the work done in 5 minutes?

A 3.0 × 106 J

B 2.0 × 106 J

C 2.0 × 105 J

D 1.1 × 105 J
(Total 1 mark)

Q3.
Which of the following is not a unit of power?

A N m s–1

B kg m2 s–3

C J s–1

D kg m–1 s–1
(Total 1 mark)

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Q4.
A weightlifter lifts a weight of 1500 N through a height of 0.35 m in a time of 0.85 s.
Calculate the mean power developed by the weightlifter.

power ____________________ W
(Total 2 marks)

Q5.
The diagram below shows a man participating in a ‘strong man’ competition. The event
requires the man to haul a concrete block along a horizontal path for a distance of 15 m.
The frictional force between the block and the path is 2800 N.

(a) The rope is inclined at an angle of 20° to the horizontal.

Calculate the minimum force that the man must exert on the rope to move the block.

force ____________________ N
(1)

(b) Calculate the minimum work that the man has to do to complete the event.

work done ____________________ J

(1)
(Total 2 marks)

Page 2 of 12
Q6.
A skydiver of mass 70 kg, jumps from a stationary balloon and reaches a speed of
45 m s–1 after falling a distance of 150 m.

(a) Calculate the skydiver’s

(i) loss of gravitational potential energy,

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

(ii) gain in kinetic energy.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(4)

(b) The difference between the loss of gravitational potential energy and the gain in
kinetic energy is equal to the work done against air resistance. Use this fact to
calculate

(i) the work done against air resistance,

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

(ii) the average force due to air resistance acting on the skydiver.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 7 marks)

Q7.
Tidal power could make a significant contribution to UK energy requirements. This
question is about a tidal power station which traps sea water behind a tidal barrier at high
tide and then releases the water through turbines 10.0 m below the high tide mark.

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 (i) Calculate the mass of sea water covering an area of 120 km2 and depth 10.0 m.

density of sea water = 1100 kg m–3

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

(ii) Calculate the maximum loss of potential energy of the sea water in part (i) when it
is released through the turbines.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

(iii) The potential energy of the sea water released through the turbines, calculated in
part (ii), is lost over a period of 6.0 hours. Estimate the average power output of the
power station over this time period. Assume the power station efficiency is 40%.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(Total 7 marks)

Q8.
A cyclist travelling along a level road at a constant speed of 15 m s–1 experiences a
resistive force of 12 N due to air resistance.

(a) Calculate the power output of the cyclist maintaining this constant speed.

power output ______________________ W

(2)

(b) State and explain any change in the power output of the cyclist when cycling at a
higher, constant speed.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 4 marks)

Page 4 of 12
Q9.
The world record for a high dive into deep water is 54 m.

(a) Calculate the loss in gravitational potential energy (gpe) of a diver of mass 65 kg
falling through 54 m.

loss in gpe = ____________________ J

(2)

(b) Calculate the vertical velocity of the diver the instant before he enters the water.
Ignore the effects of air resistance.

velocity = ____________________ ms–1

(2)

(c) Calculate the time taken for the diver to fall 54 m. Ignore the effects of air
resistance.

time = ____________________ s
(2)

(d) Explain, with reference to energy, why the velocity of the diver is independent of his
mass if air resistance is insignificant.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 9 marks)

Page 5 of 12
Q10.
The following figure shows an athlete of mass 65 kg about to perform a pole vault.

The centre of mass of the athlete rises 4.2 m during the vault.

(a) Calculate the change in potential energy of the athlete between take off and
reaching the highest point.

change in potential energy ____________________ J

(2)

(b) Assuming that the centre of mass falls the same distance when falling. Calculate
the vertical speed, in m s−1, of the athlete when he lands.

vertical speed ____________________ m s−1

(2)

(c) Explain how the landing mat reduces the force experienced by the athlete to an
acceptable level when landing.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 6 marks)

Page 6 of 12
Q11.
The diagram below shows a possible design for a pumped storage system used to
generate electricity.

Water from the upper reservoir is to fall through a vertical distance of 90 m before
reaching a powerplant chamber. The water rotates a turbine in the chamber that drives an
electricity generator. After leaving the turbine, the water travels through an exit pipe to a
lake.

(a) Show that the maximum possible speed of the water as it arrives at the turbine is
about 40 m s−1.

(2)

(b) The volume of water flowing into the turbine every second is 3.5 m3.

Estimate the radius of the intake pipe that is required for the system.

pipe radius = _______________________ m

(2)

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(c) The water leaves the powerplant chamber at a speed of 12 m s−1.

Calculate the maximum possible power output of the turbine and generator.
Give an appropriate unit for your answer.

density of water = 1000 kg m−3

Maximum power output = _________________ unit = ____________

(4)

(d) Energy losses are estimated to reduce the output power for the turbine and
generator to 60% of the value you calculated in part (c).

Explain two possible reasons for this energy loss.

1. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 10 marks)

Page 8 of 12
Q12.
A hydroelectric power station has a power output of 2.0 MW when water passes through
its turbines at a rate of 1.4 m3 s–1 . The water is supplied from a reservoir which is 750 m
above the power station turbines, as shown in the diagram below.

density of water = 1000 kg m–3

(a) Calculate

(i) the mass of water passing through the turbines each second,

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

(ii) the loss of potential energy per second of the water flowing between the
reservoir and the power station turbines,

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

(iii) the efficiency of the power station.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(6)

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(b) The turbines drive generators that produce alternating current at an rms potential
difference of 25 kV which is then stepped up to an rms potential difference of 275 kV
by means of a transformer.

(i) Calculate the rms current supplied by the generators to the transformer when
the power output of the generators is 2.0 MW.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

(ii) The transformer has an efficiency of 95%. Calculate the output current of the
transformer.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(4)
(Total 10 marks)

Page 10 of 12
Q13.
(a) State the law of conservation of energy.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(b) The diagram shows a block on a horizontal table top initially held against a spring
so that the spring is compressed. The other end of the spring is fixed to a wall.
When released the block is pushed away by the spring. When the spring reaches its
natural length the block leaves the spring and then slides along the table top. A
constant frictional force acting between the moving block and the table top
eventually brings the block to rest.

(i) When the block leaves the spring, the block has a kinetic energy of 2.2 J. The
mass of the block is 0.40 kg.
Calculate the maximum velocity of the block.

maximum velocity = ____________________ m s−1

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 (1)

(ii) The block travels 1.2 m after leaving the spring before coming to rest.
Show that the frictional force between the block and the table top is about 1.8
N.

(1)

(iii) The spring was initially compressed through 0.20 m. The constant frictional
force acts on the block whenever it is moving.
Calculate the elastic potential energy in the spring when in its initial
compressed position.
Assume the spring has negligible mass.
State an appropriate unit for your answer.

elastic potential energy = __________ unit = _________

(3)

(iv) The force exerted on the block by the spring is proportional to the
compression of the spring.
Calculate the maximum force exerted on the block by the spring.

maximum force = ____________________ N

(1)
(Total 8 marks)

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