Energy

Potential energy

Energy gained due to

position from earth’s
surface

GPE = mass x gravity
 x height     GPE = m x g x h
For example, the GPE of a rock which has
a mass of 75kg
and is raised to  height of 4·0 meters is
GPE  =  75 x 10 x 4·0
= 3000J.

When
the object starts
to fall, GPE is tra
nsferred into KE.
A roller coaster with a mass of 250 kg is poised at
point A.
a) Calculate the gravitational potential energy at
A ,B and C.
   
 Kinetic energy

Energy due to motion

slope = twice KE
Mechanical energy conservation

( P.e. + K.e. ) at A = (P.e. + K.e. ) at B

Energy of a falling body as its height decreases
 Some students at
Winter Carnival are
tobogganing down a
15 m hill. They start
from rest and the
 Calculate the total
mechanical energy of the force of friction is so
toboggan at A. small as to be
b) Calculate the speed of
the toboggan at B. negligible. The mass
c) Calculate the speed of of the students and
the toboggan at C.
the toboggan is 150kg