PETROVIETNAM UNIVERSITY

FUNDAMENTAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT

Fundamental of Physics
Pham Hong Quang

E-mail: quangph@pvu.edu.vn

Hanoi, August 2012

Chapter 3 Work and Energy

3.1 Work
3.2 Kinetic Energy
3.3 Work and Kinetic Energy
3.4 Power
3.5 Potential Energy
3.6 Conservation of Mechanical Energy
3.7 Conservation of Energy in General

Pham Hong Quang

Fundamental Science Department

3.1 Work

Work W is energy transferred to or from an

object by means of a force acting on the
object.
Energy transferred to the object is positive
work,
Energy transferred from the object is
negative work.

Pham Hong Quang

Fundamental Science Department

3.1 Work

Only the force component along the objects

displacement will contribute to work.
A force does positive work when it has a vector
component in the same direction displacement,
A force does negative work when it has a vector
component in the opposite direction.
Work is a scalar quantity. Unit for work is Joule (J)
also.
Pham Hong Quang

Fundamental Science Department

3.1 Work
Work Done by
Variable Forces

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Fundamental Science Department

x2

x1

Fx ( x ) dx

3.1 Work
Work Done by a
Spring Force

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Fundamental Science Department

3.2 Kinetic Energy

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Fundamental Science Department

3.3 Work and Kinetic Energy

Net Work
Kinetic Energy
Theorem
When a external force
does work A on an
object, the change of
kinetic energy of the

2
2
2
2
2
2
object equals
to
the
v

dv
dx

F
.
d
x

m
.
d
x

m
.
d
v

m
v
d
v

md
x

work: 1
dt
dt
2
1
1
1
1

1
1
2
A mv2 mv12
2
2

A K 2 K1
Pham Hong Quang

Fundamental Science Department

3.4 Power

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Fundamental Science Department

3.5 Potential Energy

The Path Independence Test for
a Gravitational Force

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Fundamental Science Department

10

3.5 Potential Energy

Path Dependence of Work Done by a
Friction Force

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Fundamental Science Department

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3.5 Potential Energy

Conservative and Nonconservative Forces
conservative forces are the
forces that do path independent
work;
The work done by a
conservative force along any
closed path is zero.
non-conservative force is the
force that do path dependent
work
The work done by a
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Fundamental Science Department

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3.5 Potential Energy

Determining Potential
Energy Values

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Fundamental Science Department

13

3.5 Potential Energy

The gravitational potential energy
The product of the magnitude of the gravitational
force mg acting on an object and the height y of the
object is so important in physics that we give it a
name: the gravitational potential energy. The symbol
for gravitational potential energy is Ug , and so the
y
defining equation for gravitational
potential
U (mg
)dy mgyenergy is
g

Gravitational potential energy is the potential energy

of the objectEarth system.
This potential energy is transformed into kinetic
energy of the system by the gravitational force.

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Fundamental Science Department

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3.5 Potential Energy

Elastic Potential
Energy

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Fundamental Science Department

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3.6 Conservation of Mechanical Energy

What is mechanical energy of a
system?

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Fundamental Science Department

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3.6 Conservation of Mechanical Energy

In a system where no work is done on it by

external forces and only conservative internal
forces act on the system elements, then the
internal forces in the system can cause energy to
be transferred between kinetic energy and
potential energy, but their sum, the mechanical
energy Emec of the system, cannot change.
mec
Esys
K sys U sys 0

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Fundamental Science Department

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3.6 Conservation of Mechanical Energy

Example

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Fundamental Science Department

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3.6 Conservation of Mechanical Energy

Example
A motorcyclist is trying to leap across the canyon
shown in Figure by driving horizontally off the
cliff at a speed of 38.0 m/s. Ignoring air
resistance, find the speed with which the cycle
strikes the ground on the other side.

1
2
mgh mv
2
v2 2 g ( yt y0 )

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Fundamental Science Department

19

3.7 Conservation of Energy in General

We have seen that the total mechanical energy of a
system is constant when only conservative forces
act within the system. Mechanical energy is lost
when non-conservative forces such as friction are
present.
We shall find that mechanical energy can be
transformed into energy stored inside the various
objects that make up the system. This form of
energy is called internal energy.
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Fundamental Science Department

20

3.7 Conservation of Energy in General

We shall see that on a submicroscopic scale, this
internal energy is associated with the vibration of
atoms about their equilibrium positions. Such
internal atomic motion involves both kinetic and
potential energy.
Therefore, if we include in our energy expression
this increase in the internal energy of the objects
that make up the system, then energy is conserved.
That is, energy can never be created or
destroyed. Energy may be transformed from
one form to another,
total energy of an21
Fundamental but
Sciencethe
Department

Pham Hong Quang

Thank you!

Nguyen Van A

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