Physics Work, Power and Energy Workbook

1 - Basic Problems Involving Work

1-1. How much work does a locomotive do when it exerts a force of 54000 N
while pulling a train at a constant 10 m/s for 1 hour along a level track?
1.944 GJ

1-2. How much work does a horse do when it tows a wagon with a rope that makes
a 60° angle with the surface of the road? The tension in the rope is 500 N and the
road is 120 m long. The horse is pulling the wagon at a constant speed of 2 m/s.
30 kJ

1-3. A student on a skateboard is carrying a 10 kg backpack as she rolls along a level

street. After pushing off she finds that she is able to roll for 20 m at constant speed
before she starts to slow down. How much work is done on the backpack
during the time the student is rolling at constant speed?
0J

1-4. From rest, a 300 g model rocket flies straight upwards for 25 m. Its engine provides a
thrust of 5 N. Find the amount of work done by the engine
125 J

1-5. A car pulls a 200 kg trailer 10 km at a constant speed of 40 km/h along a level road. The
coefficient of friction is 0.30. How much work did the car’s engine do on the trailer?
5.9 MJ

SOLUTIONS

In the following problems, F// denotes the force acting on a body in the direction of (i.e. a parallel
vector to) the motion of the body; therefore the formula for mechanical work done will be given as:

W = F// • Dd

1-1. How much work does a locomotive do when it exerts a force of 54000 N
while pulling a train at a constant 10 m/s for 1 hour along a level track?

F// = 54000 N Dd = V • t = 10 • 3600 = 36000 m (uniform motion)

W = F// • Dd W = 1 944 000 000 J or 1.944 GJ

1-2. How much work does a horse do when it tows a wagon with a rope that makes
a 60° angle with the surface of the road? The tension in the rope is 500 N and the
road is 120 m long. The horse is pulling the wagon at a constant speed of 2 m/s.

F// = 500 • cos 60 = 250 N Dd = 120 m

W = F// • Dd W = 30 000 J or 30 kJ
1-3. A student on a skateboard is carrying a 10 kg backpack as she rolls along a level
street. After pushing off she finds that she is able to roll for 20 m at constant speed
before she starts to slow down. How much work is done on the backpack
during the time the student is rolling at constant speed?

F// = 0 Dd = 20 m W = F// • Dd W=0

In general, no work is done when carrying/supporting an object along a horizontal surface.

The force required to carry an object is directed upward. The motion of the object is horizontal.
Therefore, there is no component the force used to carry the object that is in the direction of
motion.

1-4. From rest, a 300 g model rocket flies straight upwards for 25 m. Its engine provides a
thrust of 5 N. Find the amount of work done by the engine

F// = 5 N Dd = 25 m W = F// • Dd W = 125 J

1-5. A car pulls a 200 kg trailer 10 km at a constant speed of 40 km/h along a level road. The
coefficient of friction is 0.30. How much work did the car’s engine do on the trailer?

Since the car is in uniform motion, its acceleration is zero. Therefore the sum of the forces on it
is zero .

FNET = FA – FF = 0 FA = FF FF = µ • m • g = 0.3 • 200 • 9.81 = 588.6 N

F// = FF = 588.6 N Dd = 10 000 m

W = F// • Dd W = 5 886 000 J or 5.886 MJ

2 - Basic Problems Involving Power

Determine the amount of power developed in each situation

described in section 1 - Basic Problems Involving Work

SOLUTIONS

2-1. W = 1 944 000 000 J t = 1 hour = 3600 s

P = W / t = 540 000 W or 540 kW

2-2. W = 30 000 J t = Dd / v = 60 s (uniform motion)

P=W/t P = 500 W or 0.5 kW

2-3. W=0 P=W/t P=0W

2-4. The time that the rocket takes to travel 25 m must be found.

Step 1 – Apply N2L to determine acceleration

FNet = FA – FG FNet = FA – m • g FNet = 5 – 0.3 • 9.81 FNet = 2.06 N

FNet = m • a a = FNET / m a = 2.06 / 0.3 a = 6.86 m/s2

Step 2 – Use kinematics to find the time

d(t) = do + vot + at2/2 25 = 0 + 0 • t + 6.86 t2 / 2 t = 2.7 s

Step 3 – Solve for power

W = 125 J t = 2.7 s P=W/t P = 46.3 W

2-5. The time that the car takes to travel 10 km must be found.

W = 5 886 000 J t = Dd / v = 900 s (uniform motion)

P=W/t P = 6540 W or 6.54 kW