POTENTIAL ENERGY

 Elastic
 Gravitational
 Electric
Elastic potential energy

Kinetic energy

Elastic potential energy

The spring pulls/pushes with a restoring
force proportional to the extension x :
Fspring = – k x
Work due to external force gives the
elastic potential energy:
x x
1 2
W   Fdx   k xdx  k x
0 0
2
How much work does it take to
lift mass m to height h ?
Wext = Fext d
= mg h
= m g (y2 – y1)
You did work on the
object. Therefore its
energy increased.
POTENTIAL ENERGY !!
 PE is measured with respect to
some reference level.

 Only changes in PE actually have

physical meaning.

 Changes in PE do not depend on

path.

 Energy is a shared property !

 Work is force x distance
 Energy is the capacity to do work
 Power is the “rate of doing work”

Work done
Power =
Time taken
 YOUR HEART AS A PUMP

Volume of blood lifted daily = 8000 litres

Average height lifted = 1.5 m
Density of blood  1 kg/litre
Work done = 8000 x 1 x 9.8 x 1.5
 120,000 J in 24 hours
120000
 Power =  1.4 W
24 x 60 x 60
 v  1.5m / s
2.4m
15m / s
 v  1.5m / s
2.4m
15m / s

mass of box  12 kg
1
K  K f  K i  (12kg )(1.5m / s ) 2  0  13.5 J
2
v 2f  vi2 (1.5m / s ) 2  0
a   0.469m / s 2
2( x f  xi ) 2(2  4m)
This acceleration results from a constant
net force given by:
F  ma  (12kg )(0.469 m / s )  5.63N
2

Work done on the crate is:

W  F x  (5.63N )(2.4m)  13.5 J
( same as K  13.5 J !)
15m / s 16.5m / s
50.4m
15m / s

48.0m

How does an observer on the ground

interpret a similar measurement?
vi  15.0m / s
v f  15.0m / s  1.5m / s  16.5m / s
15m / s 16.5m / s
50.4m
15m / s

48.0m

1 1
K   K f  K i  mv f  mvi 2
2

2 2
1 1
 (12kg )(16.5m / s)  (12kg )(15.0m / s) 2
2

2 2
 284 J
( This is not equal to K  13.5 J )
  a  a  F   F  5.63N
15m / s 16.5m / s
50.4m
15m / s

48.0m

v f  vi 1.5m / s
t  2
 3.2s
a 0.469m / s
and train moves (15m/s)(3.2s)  48m
 Total displacement  x
 48m  2.4m  50.4m

The ground based observer also

concludes that the work is:
W   F x  (5.63N )(50.4m)  284 J
Total mechanical energy is:
Emech = KE + PE
IF no friction then Emech is conserved :

(Emech)= (KE) + (PE) = 0

Emech = KE + PE is constant !!!

How high will the ball rise?

h
1 2
mv 0  mgh v0
2
2
v0
 h
2g
 x
v0

1 2 1 2 k
mv0  kx  v0  x
2 2 m
 A v0
B

C
h h
h/2
D

What will be the speed of the car a) at

point B, b) at point C, and c) at point D?
 A v0
B
E A  EB  EC  ED

C
h h
h/2
D

1 1
mv A  mgh  mv B 2  mgh
2

2 2
1 h 1
 mvC  mg  mv D 2
2

2 2 2
v A  v B , v C  v 0 2  gh , v D  v 0 2  2 gh
Half cut ball
 m
h
h x
m
h
m h x
x m
1 2
kx  mg (h  x )
2
2mg 2mg
x  2
x h0
k k
mg
x (1  1  2hk / mg )
k
 d
x

d
d sin 
 

2
1 2 kx
kx  mgd sin   d
2 2mg sin 
 d
x


 d
x
d
d sin 
 

1 2
mgd sin   mv  v  2 gd sin 
2
(x  d )
( x  d ) sin  d
 x

1 2 
mg ( x  d ) sin   kx
2
 mg sin    mg sin  
x  2
2
 x  2 d  0
 k   k 
mg sin   2kd 
x 1  1  
k  mg sin  
 x

1 2 1 2 m
mv0  kx  x v0
2 2 k
 x

1 2 2h
d  v0t and h  gt  t
2 g

d g mg
 v0   d  xd
t 2h 2hk
Maximum height of a projectile,
using energy methods
y v0x
K0  U 0  K  U
1 v0
m(v0 x  v0 y )  0
2 2
h
2 v0y
1 2 
 mv0 x  mgh O v0y
2 x
1 2 v sin 2 2
mv0y  mgh  h 0

2 2g
 CONSERVATIVE FORCE

Work does not depend on path take

 gravity
 electric force
 springs
Potential energy can be defined!
Suppose a particle has potential
energy V(x)

V(x)

x
 If the particle moves x
Then change in PE is V
Where: V = - F x
V
 F =-
x
Now let x  0

V dV
F = - lim =-
x  0 x dx
 dV
F = - is zero here
dx
V(x)

B
C
A x D
 dV
F = - is positive here
dx
V(x)

x
 3 7
V ( x )   6  12
0.3

x x
0.2

dV 18 84
F    7  13
0.1
dx x x

1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2

-0.1

-0.2 1
 14  6
F is zero at x0   
 3
-0.3
 NON-CONSERVATIVE FORCE

Work does depend on path taken.

 friction
 air resistance
 velocity dependent forces
Potential energy cannot be defined!
 Work due to friction

The work done to push the box along a path

of length L is: Wf = Ff L = N L = mg L

path 2

path 1
 A

Where does the particle finally come

to rest?
What happens to energy in a non-conservative system?
Is the energy lost when a driver puts the car brakes on?
 A

Suppose the total distance moved on

the flat part before it comes to rest is x.
h
mgh  fx   mgx  x 
g
Conservation of energy is a truth

Mechanical energy conservation is Newton’s law.

There is something mysterious about it

Energy takes different forms

Yet each must be capable of doing work