WORK, ENERGY AND

- NegativePOWER
net work – work
decreases the kinetic energy of the particle

- Zero net work – the kinetic energy

Module 6 remains the same

1. FORCE AND POTENTIAL ENERGY

Wtotalon12N = 0 Wtotalon20N = 0

Consider an object moving in a uniform

circular motion. What is the work done by
the centripetal force?
Note: the speed of an object in a uniform
circular motion is constant.
If the total work done on an object is zero,
then the speed of the object remains the
same.
Example: Both blocks start from rest and
both are displaced by s. Which block will
have the largest final kinetic energy?
Ans. They will have the same final kinetic
energy because the same amount of work is
done to both.

2. KINETIC ENERGY AND WORK

The work-energy theorem deals with the

work done by the net force.

- The work-energy theorem does not

apply to the work done by an individual
force.

- Instead of working with individual

forces, we can split the total work with the 3. WORK DONE BY VARYING FORCE
work done by each force.

Kinetic energy of a particle is equal to the

total work that was done to accelerate it
from rest to its present speed.

Alternate interpretation of the net work's

algebraic signs:
- Positive net work – work increases
the kinetic energy of the particle
On a graph of force as a function of
position, the total work done by the force is
represented by the area bounded by the
curve and the position axis between the
initial and final positions.

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Example: A force is applied to a 2.0-kg
model car parallel to the x-axis as it moves
along a straight track. Calculate the work
done by the force when the car moves from
x=0 to x=7.0 [m].
The force required to stretch the spring
varies with the amount of elongation (or
compression).
4. WORK DONE (SPRING)
Example A 6.0-kg block moving at 3.0 [m/s]
on a horizontal, frictionless surface runs into
a light spring of force constant 75 [N/m].
Use the work-energy theorem to find the
maximum compression of the spring.
Example: The model airplane in the figure is
flying at a speed of 22 [m/s] on a horizontal
circle of radius 16 [m]. The mass of the
plane is 0.90 [kg]. The person holding the
guideline pulls it in until the radius becomes
14 [m]. The plane speeds up, and the
tension in the guideline becomes four times
greater. What is the net work done on the
plane?
5. POWER
● The time rate of doing work.
● Time rate at which energy is transferred.
 P is the power
 W is the work done
 t time interval to do the work
Example: A 1400-kg car accelerates from
rest to 26.4 [m/s] in 7.40 [s]. What is the
average power delivered by the engine?
Example: The motor of a ski boat generates
an average power of 75 [kW] when the boat
is moving at a constant speed of 15 [m/s].
When the boat is pulling a skier at the same
speed, the engine must generate an
average power of 83 [kW]. What is the
tension in the tow rope that is pulling the
skier?
6. GRAVITATIONAL POTENTIAL
ENERGY
Definition: Energy associated with the
relative position of an object with respect to
a planet.
● Depends on the magnitude of acceleration
due to gravity
● Depends on the vertical position of an
object with respect to some chosen origin.
 m is the mass of the particle
 g is the magnitude of the planet's
acceleration due to gravity
 y vertical position of the particle with
respect to the chosen y=0.
 above y=0 is positive,
 below y=0 is negative
Example: What is the gravitational potential
energy of a 0.100-kg apple and the earth if
the apple is 1.0 [m] above the ground?
Example: What is the gravitational potential
energy of the pendulum bob (and the earth)
in terms of m, L and θ if the ceiling is set to
be y=0.
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7. WORK DONE BY GRAVITATIONAL
●The relation above is also true even if the
path of the object is curved
Note: If the gravitational force does a
positive work, the gravitational potential
energy decreases.
If the gravitational force does a
negative work, the potential energy
increases.
Example A 75.0 [kg] skier rides a 2830-m-
long lift to the top of a mountain. The lift
makes an angle of 14.6° with the horizontal.
What is the change in the gravitational
potential energy?
8. CONSERVATION OF MECHANICAL
ENERGY
Case 1: only the gravitational force does
work on an object
Example: A ball was given an initial velocity
of 5.0 [m/s] at an angle of 60.0° above the
horizontal. If the ball is initially 10.0 [m]
above the ground, what is the magnitude of
the ball's velocity just before it hits the
ground?
The kinetic energy of the ball decreases on
its way up and becomes zero at the
maximum height.
For the same initial speed and initial height,
the speed of a projectile at a given elevation
h is always the same, neglecting air
resistance.
Example: A pendulum is launched from a
point that is a height h above its lowest
point in two different ways. During both
launches, the pendulum is given an initial
speed of 3.0 [m/s]. Which launch will cause
it to swing the highest on the other side?
(a) 1st launch (b) 2nd launch (c)
Both will reach the same height
Note: The direction of the initial velocity is
not relevant in the conservation of
mechanical energy.
The conservation of mechanical energy can
be applied to a composite system (no other
force does work except gravity).
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If the two objects are connected by a single
cord that doesn't stretch, then their final
speed must be the same.
THE CONSERVATION OF MECHANICAL
ENERGY BECOMES:
Example: The blocks are initially held at rest
and at the same distance from the ceiling.
What will be the speed of the blocks when
they are h away from each other? Express
your answer in terms of mA, mB, h and g.
We set the initial vertical position of the
blocks to be y=0. So,
9. ELASTIC POTENTIAL ENERGY
Example: A 5.0-kg block is attached to a
spring (with force constant of 500[N/m]) on
a frictionless surface. The block is moving
with a speed of 2.0[m/s] and stretched the
spring by 0.080[m]. What will be the block's
speed if it further stretched the spring to
0.10[m]?
10. FORCE AND POTENTIAL ENERGY
For a conservative force:
The slope of U vs x graph gives the
conservative force
❑ A conservative force always acts to
push the system toward lower potential
energy.
❑ A conservative force is the negative
gradient of the potential energy function.
❑ When the U vs x graph slopes upward,
the force is directed towards the negative
direction.
❑ When the U vs x graph slopes
downward, the force is directed towards
the positive direction
❑ When the U vs x graph is horizontal,
the force is zero
❑ Spring elastic potential energy and force
as a function of position
❑ Gravitational potential energy and force
as a function of position.
11. ENERGY DIAGRAMS
❑ Shows both the potential energy function
and the energy of the particle subject to a
conservative force.
❑ The horizontal line (usually labeled as E)
gives the total mechanical energy.
❑ The vertical distance between the U and
E graphs at each point represents the
difference E – U, equals the kinetic energy
at that point.
Note: The kinetic energy is a maximum
when the potential energy is a minimum.
• The potential energy U cannot be
greater than the total mechanical energy E.
❑ The direction of the force when the
particle is in the region x>0 is to the left.
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❑ The direction of the force when the
particle is in the region x<0 is to the right.
Example: 0-N block moves 75.0 [cm] to the
right and the 12.0-N block moves 75.0 [cm]
downward.

● Choose a positive direction and be

consistent with it. (I choose right as my
positive x-direction and upward as my
positive y-direction)
12. NEWTON’S SECOND LAW
(MOMENTUM) E2. Write down the magnitudes of the x and
y components of the initial momentum in
Note: A net unbalanced force results into an terms of pi and θ.
acceleration of a given object.
• E3. Write down the magnitudes of the x
and y components of the final momentum in
➢ We terms of pf and θ.
add momentum as vectors

Example: One 110-kg football lineman is

running to the right at 2.75[m/s] while The change in momentum is 52.0 [kg m/s]
another 125-kg lineman is running directly directed to the left.
toward him at 2.60 [m/s]. What are the
magnitude and direction of the net 13. IMPULSE AND IMPULSE-
momentum of these two athletes? MOMENTUM THEOREM

● Calculate the magnitude of each ❑ The IMPULSE OF A NET FORCE is

momentum. defined as

● The above equation definition is only true

● Choose a positive direction and be
if the net force is constant.
consistent with it. (I choose right as my
● The wall exerts zero net force when the
positive direction)
ball is not yet in contact with the wall.
● The net force exerted by the wall
becomes zero when the ball is no longer in
contact with the wall.
The net momentum is 22.5 [kg·m/s]
●The time varying force can always be
directed to the left.
replaced by an average force whenever we
❑ We subtract momentum as vectors calculate for the impulse.
Example: A 3.00-kg steel ball strikes a wall
with a speed of 10.0 [m/s]at an angle of θ
❑ It is a vector quantity with direction
= 60.0° with the surface. It bounces off
similar with the net force.
with the same speed and angle. What is the
change in the steel ball's momentum? ❑ SI unit is [N · s]

● Calculate the magnitude of the initial and

final momentum.

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● Recall: The net force acting on a particle • Use impulse-momentum theorem
equals the rate of change of momentum of
the particle.
E4. What is the speed of the gorilla just
before he strikes the ground?

v = 11. 43 [m/s]

Example: A volleyball is spiked so that its E5. From what height did the gorilla fall?
incoming velocity of 4.0 [m/s] is changed to
an outgoing velocity of 21 [m/s]. The mass Yi= 6. 66 [m]
of the volleyball is 0.35 kg. What impulse
does the player apply to the ball? 14. CONSERVATION OF LINEAR
MOMENTUM
➢Calculate the magnitude of the initial and
final momentum. ● Objects m1 and m2 comprise a system.

● During collision: m1 exerts a force on m1

and m2 exerts a force on m1
➢ Let incoming be positive and outgoing be
negative.

➢ Apply the impulse-momentum theorem.

The player applies an impulse of 8.75 [N · s]

opposite to the incoming ball.

Example: A gorilla (m=63 [kg]) falls freely Note: If there are no external forces acting
from rest and strikes the ground. During the on the system, then the total linear
collision with the ground, he comes to rest momentum is conserved.
in a time of 0.040 [s]. The average force
exerted on him by the ground is +18,000 • System where the total linear momentum
[N], where the upward direction is taken to is conserved is called isolated system.
be the positive direction. From what height
did the gorilla fall? Assume that the only Note: The conservation of linear momentum
force acting on him during the collision is is applicable to an isolated system, it is not
that due to the ground. applicable to one component of the system.
● No! You cannot use this h = g · t 2/2
• Example: A 68.5-kg astronaut is doing a
● The motion is divided into two parts: free
repair in space on the orbiting space station.
fall and impact
She throws a 2.25-kg tool away from her at
● Not enough information for the free fall
3.20[m/s] relative to the space station. With
part.
what speed and in what direction will she
● Get some information from the impact
begin to move?
part.
• Initial and final momentum during impact
part

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● Choose a positive the direction. Let us • We use the conservation of momentum
choose “away from the astronaut's initial
position” as positive.

• Split the vector equation into its

components:

• Example: Car 1 has a mass of m1=65

x103[kg] and moves at a velocity of vo1=
+0.80[m/s]. Car 2, with a mass of m2=92
x103[kg] and a velocity of vo2=+1.3 [m/s],
reaches car 1 and couples to it. Neglecting
friction, find the common velocity vf of the ● To get the direction, construct a right
cars after they become coupled. triangle that will enclose the angle that you
want to calculate.
● Since there is only one possible direction,
then let that be your positive direction. Note: the direction of the final velocity is the
same as the direction of the final
momentum.

• For the direction:

Vf = +1. 1 [m/s]

• The two cars are coupled; therefore, they • (a) Daniel's velocity after collision is
will have a common final velocity. 7.20[m/s], 38.0o from Rebecca's initial
velocity.
Example: Two ice skaters, Daniel
(mass=65.0 [kg]) and Rebecca (mass=45.0 • To solve for the change in kinetic energy
[kg]), are practicing. Daniel stops to tie his we calculate the total initial kinetic energy
shoelace and, while at rest, is struck by and the total final kinetic energy.
Rebecca, who is moving 13.0 [m/s] before
• For the initial kinetic energy:
she collides with him. After the collision,
Rebecca has a velocity of magnitude 8.00
[m/s] at an angle of 53.1 from her initial
direction. Both skaters move on the • The change in kinetic energy is therefore:
frictionless, horizontal surface of the rink.

• (a) What are the magnitude and direction

A negative change in K means a decrease in
of Daniel's velocity after the collision?
the total mechanical energy of Rebecca and
Daniel.
Calculate the magnitudes of the known
Example: Block A has mass of 1.00 [kg],
momenta:
and block B has mass of 3.00 [kg]. The
blocks are forced together, compressing a
spring S between them; then the system is
released from rest on a level, frictionless
surface. The spring, which has negligible
mass, is not fastened to either block and

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drops to the surface after it has expanded.
If block B acquires a speed of 1.20 [m/s],

(a) What is the final speed of block A?

(b) How much potential energy was • The CONSERVATION OF MOMENTUM
stored in the compressed spring? is:

• Choose right to be positive.

• In one dimensional collision (motion is

• E10. Solve for vfA
along the x-axis only), we use the following:

● To solve for (b).

● No spring constant, no amount of
compression!?
● We use the law of conservation of
mechanical energy.
15. ELASTIC COLLISIONS
Note: If there are no net force acting on a
system, the total momentum is always
conserved in a collision.
Note: In a straight-line elastic collision of
two objects, the relative velocities before
and after the collision have the same
magnitude but opposite sign.
• Example: A 10.0-g marble slides to the left
with a velocity of magnitude 0.400 [m/s] on
the frictionless horizontal surface and has a
head-on elastic collision with a larger 30.0-g
marble sliding to the right with velocity of
magnitude of 0.200 [m/s]. Find the velocity
of each marble after the collision.

● INELASTIC COLLISION – the total • Set right to be the positive direction

kinetic energy after the collision is less than
the total kinetic energy before the collision.

● COMPLETELY INELASTIC COLLISION

– colliding objects stick together. • E11. Using the relative velocity relation for
elastic collision, set up the 2nd equation.
● ELASTIC COLLISION – the total kinetic
energy before and after the collision is
conserved.

• E12. Using ELIMINATION, show the details

how to solve for v10fx.

• Using (2), the other unknown is obtained:

Note: The direction of the final velocity is
the same as the direction of the final
momentum.

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