Lecture 17 Hirotaka SATO

hirosato@ntu.edu.sg

Conservative Forces &

Conservation of Total Energy: E1 = E2
• Gravitational force
• Elastic force
• Friction force

In which cases should we apply ‘conservation of total energy’?

gravitational elastic
potential energy potential energy

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OUTLINE
mg
• introduce 3 approaches to solve very simple examples
1) direct approach: ma = F
2) work & kinetic energy: U = T2 – T1
3) conservation of total energy: E1 = E2
V =?
• difference between the works done by gravitational force,
elastic force and friction force

• solve another example where friction is involved

• another difference between the works done by gravitational

force, elastic force and friction force

• conclusion:
- gravitational force & elastic force are conservative force
- friction force is non-conservative force
simple example
ways to get the velocity

at rest

1. direct approach: ma = F
mg
2. work & kinetic energy: U = T2 – T1
L
3. conservation of energy: E1 = E2

V =?

3
simple example
1. direct approach
ways to get the velocity
kinetic free body
diagram ma = F diagram
at rest
x=0
= 
L
adx  
v
vdv
0 0

ma mg 1 2
mg +X  gL  v
2
ma = mg
L v 2gL (ans)
a=g
in general
adx  vdv
dv dx
a v integration
dt dt
V =? L v

dt 
dv dx
a

v
0
adx  0
vdv
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simple example
1. direct approach
ways to get the velocity 2. work & kinetic energy

at rest
x=0
U12 = T2 – T1
mg +X
L 1
 mg dx  mv  0
2
L 0 2
 mgL

V =?
v 2gL (ans)

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simple example
1. direct approach
ways to get the velocity 2. work & kinetic energy
3. conservation of energy
at rest

STATE
1
mg E1 = 0

STATE 2
L
E2 = -mgL + ½ mv2

E1 = E2 gives no motion path only

V =?
initial and final states
v 2gL are taken into
consideration
(ans)
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What is the velocity as A travels L?

L V?
natural
length A massless
pulley
m
k
no friction

+X
NOTE
•vA = vB x=0
•aA = aB x=0 M B

+X
1. direct approach
2. work & kinetic energy
3. conservation of energy
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(1) Direct Approach: ma = F For A
A
m For B

M B

kinetic free body

diagram ma = F diagram
in general
adx  vdv
dv dx
a v integration
dt dt
ma kx T
= dt 
dv dx
 
0
L
adx  0
v
vdv
a v
T
= 1 unknown / 1 equation

Ma 1
Mg v ( kL2  2MgL ) (ans)
M m 8
(2) Work & Kinetic Energy (K.E.) T
A
m kx T
Mg
displacement: L displacement: L
rightward displacement: L
M B downward

work at A (UA) gives K.E. of A 2 unknowns / 2 equations

work at B (UB) gives K.E. of B

1
v ( kL2  2MgL ) (ans)
M m 9
(3) Conservation of Total Energy
STATE 1
A • kinetic energy, T1 = 0
m
• gravitational potential energy, Vg1 = 0
• elastic potential energy, Ve1 = 0

M B total energy
E1 = 0 + 0 + 0
L STATE 2
• T2 = ½ (m + M) v2
• Vg2 = - MgL
• Ve2 = ½ kL2
L
total energy
E2 = ½ (m + M) v2 – Mgh + ½ kL2

E1 = E2 1 unknown / 1 equation

0 = ½ (m + M) v2 –MgL + ½ kL2 no motion path but only

initial and final states
1 are taken into
v ( kL2  2MgL ) (ans)
M m consideration 10
 Consider only initial and final states but the path
A STATE 1
m What allows it?

M B Conservative
STATE 2 & Nonconservative Forces
POINTS
L - Work is conserved or not
- Work is independent of path or not

• gravitational force
• spring elastic force
• friction force
L
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work conserved as energy
no friction FL = ½ mv2
no gravitational force
no spring force ½ mv2
becomes
kinetic energy

push by hand
F
FL
L
total work

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work conserved as energy
gravitational force FL – mgL = ½ mv2
The objet (system) ½ mv2
has the energy
becomes
that is ‘potentially’
converted into kinetic energy L
kinetic energy 
0
( mg )dx
 mgL

L
F FL
FL - mgL mgL

work done
against gravity
total work conserved in
the object (system)
as gravitational
mg potential energy
If the object gets released
the velocity changes 13
work conserved as energy FL – ½kL2 = ½ mv2
elastic force
½ mv2 L
becomes  ( kx )dx
kx kinetic energy
0

F 
1 2
2
kL

The object (system)

has the energy that is
FL
FL – ½kL2 ½kL2
‘potentially’ converted
into kinetic energy
total work
work done
against elastic force
conserved in
the object (system)
as elastic potential
energy
If the object gets released
L
the velocity changes
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work conserved as energy
friction force, f = N FL – fL = ½ mv2
½ mv2
becomes
kinetic energy L
 ( f )dx

f F 0

 fL

FL –FL
fL fL
L

total work work done

Question against friction

fL, work done against friction, is diffuse away from

obtainable. the object (system)
as thermal energy
Is ‘Conservation of total energy’
Even if the object gets released
applicable to solve problems even if
friction is involved ? no change in the velocity 15
friction involved

L V?
A
k
m

friction, f

1. direct approach M B
2. work & kinetic energy
3. conservation of energy

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(1) Direct Approach: F = ma
A
m
f

M B in general
adx  vdv
dv dx
kinetic free body a v integration
dt dt
diagram diagram
L v

ma ma = F kx T dt 
dv dx
 
0
adx   vdv
0

= f
a v

T
1 unknown / 1 equation
= v
1
( kL2  2 MgL  2 fL) (ans)
M m
Ma 17
Mg
(2) Work & Kinetic Energy
T
A
m kx T
f
f
Mg
displacement: L
M B rightward displacement: L
downward

work at A (UA) gives K.E. of A

work at B (UB) gives K.E. of B 1

v ( kL2  2MgL  2fL )
M m
(ans)
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2 unknowns / 2 equations
(3) Conservation of Total Energy
STATE 1
• kinetic energy, T1 = 0
m
• gravitational potential energy, Vg1 = 0
f • elastic potential energy, Ve1 = 0
M B total energy
E1 = 0 + 0 + 0
L STATE 2
• T2 = ½ (m + M) v2
• Vg2 = - MgL
• Ve2 = ½ kL2 work done
• thermal energy = fL against friction
L
total energy
E2 = ½ (m + M) v2 – MgL + ½ kL2 + fL

E1 = E2 1 unknown / 1 equation
no motion path but only
0 = ½ (m + M) v2 –MgL + ½ kL2 +fL must care
initial and final states
1 the path
v ( kL2  2MgL  2fL ) are taken into
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M m (ans) consideration
Need the path for the work by friction

L V?
A
k
m

friction, f

M B

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Need the path for the work by friction
L V?
A
k
m

friction, f

M B

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work by friction depends on the path
0 ½L L
f (iˆ)  Liˆ   fL
f (1)

ˆ 1 ˆ 3
 fL  f i  L(i )   fL
2 2 f
(2)

3 1
 fL  f i  L(iˆ)  2 fL
ˆ
2 2 f
(3)

1 5
 2 fL  f ( iˆ)  Liˆ   fL
f 2 2
(4)

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work by gravitational force is independent of the path

mg (iˆ)  Liˆ   mgL

(1)
L

mg
1 1 1 1
 mgL  mg (iˆ)  L(iˆ)   mgL 0  mg (iˆ)  Liˆ   mgL
2 2 2 2
(4)
½L (2)

mg

0 (3)
1 1
 mgL  mg (iˆ)  L(iˆ)  0
2 2 23
mg mg
work by elastic force is independent of the path
0 ½L L
kx L 1 2
0
( kx) dx  
2
kL
(1)

kx

(2)
kx
L
1 2 1
 kL   2 ( kx) dx   kL2
2 L 8
kx (3)
1 0
 kL2  L ( kx) dx  0
8 L
(4) 0   ( kx) dx   1 kL2
2
2
0 8

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 must know the path if friction exists
L V?
A
k
m

friction, f

M B

STATE 1 STATE 2

• kinetic energy, T1 = 0 • T2 = ½ (m + M) v2
• gravitational potential energy, Vg1 = 0 • Vg2 = - MgL
• elastic potential energy, Ve1 = 0 • Ve2 = ½ kL2
• thermal energy = fL
total energy
E1 = 0 + 0 + 0 total energy
E2 = ½ (m + M) v2 – MgL + ½ kL2 + fL

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no need to know the path if only conservative forces are involved
L V?
A
k
m

friction, f

M B

STATE 1 STATE 2

• kinetic energy, T1 = 0 • T2 = ½ (m + M) v2
• gravitational potential energy, Vg1 = 0 • Vg2 = - MgL
• elastic potential energy, Ve1 = 0 • Ve2 = ½ kL2
• thermal energy = fL
total energy
E1 = 0 + 0 + 0 total energy
E2 = ½ (m + M) v2 – MgL + ½ kL2 + fL

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• conservative forces gravitational force

spring elastic force

• work
• potential energy

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 In which case can we apply which approaches?
Case 1:
Motion path is given + only conservative forces are involved.
 All the approaches are applicable

Case 2:
Motion path is given + conservative and nonconservative forces
(ex. friction) are both involved.
 All the approaches are applicable

Case 3:
Motion path is NOT given + only conservative forces are involved.
‘conservation of total energy’ is applicable and it should be the
only approach to solve.

Case 4:
Motion path is NOT given + conservative and nonconservative
forces are both involved.
 We cannot solve the problem by any approach as thermal
energy or work done by the friction is not obtainable.
thank you for your attention

Ed by Hirotaka Sato

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