02/02/2021 Andrew's Copy of Force, Work, Energy and Power Problems - Google Drive

Force, Work, Energy & Power Problems

Formulas:
● Force = mass x acceleration (label = N for Newtons)

● Speed (velocity) = distance (label = m/s)

time

● Acceleration = change in speed (label = m/s2)

time
● Work = Force x distance (label = J for Joules)

● P.E. = mass x height x acceleration due to gravity (label = J for Joules)

● K.E. = ½ x mass x velocity2 = mv2 (label = J for Joules)

2
● Potential Energy + Kinetic Energy = 100% Energy

● Power = Work (label = J/s or Watts)

Time

Conversions:
Convert distances to meters
Convert time to seconds
Convert mass to kilograms

1. Lamar Gant, U.S. powerlifting star, became the first man to

deadlift five times his own body weight in 1985. Deadlifting involves
raising a loaded barbell from the floor to a position above the head
with outstretched arms.
a. Determine the work done by Lamar, who weighed 60kg at the time, in
deadlifting the barbell to a height of 0.90 m above the ground. (Label your
answer!)

Weight Lamar lifted: 60*5=300kg

Force= 300(kg)*9.8(m/s^2)=2940 Newtons
Work= 2,940N*0.9(meters)=2646 Joules

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02/02/2021 Andrew's Copy of Force, Work, Energy and Power Problems - Google Drive

b. How much power did Lamar generate if he took 12 seconds to accomplish his
feat? Label your answer!

Power= 2646 Joules/ 12= 220.5 Watts

2. Renatta Gass is out with her friends. Misfortune occurs and Renatta and her friends
find themselves getting a workout. They apply a cumulative force of 1080 N to push
the car 218 m to the nearest fuel station.
a. Determine the work done on the car. Label your answer!
Work= F*d =1080*218=235,440 Joules

b. How much power did the girls generate if they took 3 min and 20
seconds to get the car to the fuel station? (convert your time to seconds;
label your answer!)
Power= 235,440 (joules)/ 200 (secs)= 1177.2 Watts

3. While training for breeding season, a 380 gram male squirrel does 32
pushups in a minute, displacing its center of mass by a distance of 8.5 cm
for each pushup. Determine the total work done on the squirrel while
moving upward (32 times). (Convert your mass to kilograms and your
distance to meters; Label your answer!)
Work=F*0.085 (meters)
Force= m*a= 0.38(kg)*9.8(m/s^2)= 3.724N
Work= 3.724(newtons)*0.085 (meters)= 0.31654 Joules ≈0.32 Joules for ½
push up.
Work for 1 pushup: ≈0.64 Joules
Total: 0.64(Joules)*32=20.48 J

4. Mr. Goldstein runs up the stairs, elevating his 82 kg body a vertical distance of
2.29 meters in a time of 1.32 seconds at a constant speed.
a. Determine the work done by Mr. Goldstein climbing the staircase.
Work= F*d
F=82(kg)*9.8(m/s^2)=803.6 N
Work= 803.6 N*2.29 m= 1840.244 J

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02/02/2021 Andrew's Copy of Force, Work, Energy and Power Problems - Google Drive

b. Determine the power generated by Jerome.

Label your answers!

Work = 1840.244 J Power = Work/Time= 1840.244 J /

1.32 secs = 1394.12424242 Watts≈
1394.1 Watts

5. A new conveyor system at the local packaging plan will

utilize a motor-powered mechanical arm to exert an average
force of 890 N to push large crates a distance of 12 meters
in 22 seconds. Determine the power output required of such
a motor. (Label your answer!)
Work= F*d=890N*12m=10,680 J
Power= 10680J/22(secs)=485.454545455Watts≈ 485.5 Watts

6. The International Commerce Center in Hong Kong is a 484 m tall, 108-story

skyscraper. The elevators transport visitors from the ground floor to the top at speeds
up to 9 meters per second. Determine the power delivered by the motor to lift 10
passengers at this speed. The combined mass of the passengers and cabin is 1250 kg.
(Label your answer!)

Power= Work/Time
Work= Force*d
Force= Mass*a=1250(kg)*9.8(meter/second)=12,250N
Work= 12,250*484=5,929,000J
Power= 5,929,00/53.7777777778≈5,929,00/53.8=110204.460967≈110,204.5Watts

7. A 78-kg skydiver has a speed of 62 m/s at an altitude of 870 m

above the ground.

a. Determine the kinetic energy possessed by the skydiver.

b. What was the original potential energy possessed by the
skydiver.

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02/02/2021 Andrew's Copy of Force, Work, Energy and Power Problems - Google Drive

(Label your answers!)

K.E. =½ P.E.
*mass*v^2=½*78(kg)*62^2(m/s)= =Mass*height*9.8(m/s^2)=78(kg)*87
149,916J 0(meters)*9.8=665,028J

8. The first asteroid to be discovered is Ceres. It is the largest and most massive
asteroid in our solar system’s asteroid belt, having an estimated mass of 3.0 x 1021
kg (that is 3 with 21 zeros after it!) and an orbital speed of 17900 m/s. Determine
the amount of kinetic energy possessed by Ceres. Label your answer!
KE=½ *m*v^2=½ *3*10^21*17,900^2=½
*3*10^21*320,410,000=480,615,000*10^21= 480,615*10^24 J
Or 480,615 followed by 24 zeros Joules.

9. Stanley is at The Noah's Ark Amusement Park and preparing to ride on The Point of
No Return racing slide. At the top of the slide, Stanley (m=62.6 kg) is 28.5 m above
the ground.
a. Determine Stanley's potential energy at the top of the slide.
b. What is Stanley's kinetic energy at the top of the slide?
c. What is Stanley's potential energy as he arrives at the bottom of the slide?
d. What is Stanley’s' kinetic energy as he arrives at the bottom of the slide?
e. Determine Stanley’s speed (velocity) as he arrives at the bottom of the slide.
Label all answers!

a.)PE=m*h*a=62.6 b.) 0 c.) 0 d.)17484.18 J

*28.5*9.8=17484.1
8J
e.)KE=½ *m*v^2
½ *62.6*v^2=17484.18
v^2=558.6
v=23.6347202226≈23.6m/s

10. Alayna is the tallest player on the volleyball team. She is in spiking position
when Ivanna gives her the perfect set. The 0.226-kg volleyball is 2.29 m

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02/02/2021 Andrew's Copy of Force, Work, Energy and Power Problems - Google Drive

above the ground and has a speed of 1.06 m/s. Alayna spikes the ball, doing 9.89 J
of work on it.
a. Determine the potential energy of the ball before Alayna spikes it. (Label your
answer!)

P.E. = mass x height x acceleration due to gravity=

0.226*2.29*9.8=5.071892≈5.1 J

b. If Alayna spikes the ball with 4.5 N of force, how fast did it accelerate off her
hand? (Label your answer!)

4.5=0.226*a
a=19.9115044248≈19.9m/s

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