Energy

• Energy exists in many forms:

– Kinetic energy
– Potential energy
– Internal (heat) energy
– Solar (light) energy
– Sound energy
– Chemical energy
– Nuclear energy, etc
• Unit of energy : Joule, J

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 Kinetic Energy (K.E.)

K.E. = ½ mv2 m = mass (kg)

v = ms-1
unit: Joule ( J )
v
m

• When a body of mass m moves at a speed v, it possesses

kinetic energy.
• K.E. is a scalar quantity, it does not carry direction

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 Potential Energy (P.E.)
P.E. = m g h m = mass (kg)
g = 10 ms-2
unit: Joule ( J ) h = height (m)

• A body has P.E. because of its vertical position on Earth

• In most cases, the ground level is taken to be the reference
level
• P.E. is a scalar quantity
• A body has P.E. because the gravitation force exists between
the Earth and the body

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 Mechanical Energy (M.E.)
M.E. = K.E. + P.E. = constant
• Kinetic energy and potential energy are related to the motion of a body
• They are called mechanical energy
• In absence of applied forces, the M.E. of a body is conserved
• Mechanical energy of a body only depends on its speed and position
• When a body travels from Position 1 to Position 2 :

a) M.E.1 = M.E.2
b) Loss in K.E. = Gain in P.E.
c) Loss in P.E. = Gain in K.E.

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 Example 1
What is the K.E. of a man of mass 90 kg
running at 10 ms-1 ?

Solutions :
m = 90 kg v = 10 ms-1
K.E. = ½ mv2 = ½ x 90 x 102 = 4500 J

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 Example 2
A man reaches a peak of altitude 576 m. If the mass
of the man is 85 kg, find the change of his potential
energy.

Solutions :
m = 85 kg g = 10 ms-2 h = 576 m
P.E. = mgh = 85 x 10 x 576 = 489600 J

Chemical energy stored in the man’s body is

converted to P.E.

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 Example 3
A car stops from 30 ms-1 on the road. The total braking distance is 1200 m if
the mass of the car is 23,000 kg. What is the change in K.E. of the car ?

Solutions :
m = 23,000 kg v = 30 ms-1
Initial K.E. of the car = ½ x mv2
= ½ x 23000 x 302 = 10.35 x 106 J

Since the car stops finally, the final K.E. = 0

Change of K.E. = 0 – 10.35 x 106 = -10.35 x 106 J

Most initial K.E. of the car has been converted to heat energy in the brake.

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 Example 4

A steel ball of 0.5 kg is released from

rest at a height of 1 m from the ground,
find :

0.6m
a) The M.E. of the ball when it is just released.
b) The K.E. and speed of the ball when it has
fallen 0.6 m.
c) The M.E. and K.E. of the ball just before it hits 0.4m
the ground.

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 Example 4
Solutions :
m = 0.5 kg, v = 0, h = 1 m, g = 10 ms-2
a) P.E. = mgh = 0.5 x 10 x 1 = 5 J
K.E. = ½ mv2 = 0
M.E. = P.E. + K.E. = 5 + 0 = 5 J
P.E. + K.E. = 5 + 0 = 5 J
b) K.E.gain = P.E.loss = mgh = 0.5 x 10 x 0.6 = 3 J
½ mv2 = 3, v = 3.46 ms-1
0.6m
c) M.Efinal = M.E.initial = 5 J
P.E.final = 0 (h = 0)
P.E.final + K.E.final = 5 J P.E. + K.E. = 2 + 3 = 5 J

0 + K.E.final = 5 J
K.E.final = 5 J 0.4m

P.E. + K.E. = 0 + 5 = 5 J

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 Elastic Potential Energy
• Energy stored in an elastic object when it is
stretched, compressed or bent.
• Depends on its materials and the extent to
which it is deformed.

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 Work
• Work is the amount of energy transferred by a force
• When a body is acted on by an external force for travelling a distance, the
force transfers some energy to the body

Work = Force x Displacement

or W=Fxd
Unit of work: Nm or Joule (J)

• “d” is measured in the direction along “F”

• F in Newton
• Displacement in metre

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 Work
• Positive work:
– d is parallel to F
– Force F transfers mechanical energy to a body
• Negative work:
– d is opposite to F
– Mechanical energy is consumed to oppose the force F
– Friction always opposes motion, so work done by friction is
always negative

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 Example 5
A stationary block is acted on by a constant force of 7 N on
a smooth surface.
Find the work done on the block after it has moved for 4 m.
Solutions :
Work = force x displacement = 7 x 4 = 28 J

7N

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W  ( F cos )s  Fs cos
F F

 

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 Example 6
A tourist pulls a suitcase of mass 12 kg with a
force of 25 N. The force makes an angle of 400
with the horizontal. The suitcase travels a
distance of 10 m. What is the work done by the
tourist on the suitcase?
Solutions :
Work done = Horizontal Force x Displacement
= FH x S
= (F cos θ) x S = 25 x cos 400 x 10
= 191.51 J

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 Law of Conservation of Energy
• Energy can be changed from one form to
another but cannot be created or destroyed.
• When weight is the only force which does work
on a system, the total mechanical energy of the
system is constant.
i.e. Final PE + Final KE = Initial PE + Initial KE

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 Example 7
• A tennis ball of mass 60 g is released from a
height of 5 m above the ground.
(a) Find the gravitation PE, KE and total energy
of the ball with reference to the ground
(i) before it falls,
(ii) just before it reaches the ground.
(b) Hence find the speed of the ball just before
it reaches the ground.

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 Example 7 (Solutions)
(a) (i) PE1 = mgh = 60 x 10-3 x 5 = 0.3 J
KE1 = (½)mv2 = 0
Total energy = PE + KE = 0.3 + 0 = 0.3 J
(ii) Total Initial Energy = Total Final Energy
and PE2 = 60 x 10-3 x 0 = 0
0.3 J = PE2 + KE2 = 0 + KE2
KE2 = 0.3 J and Total energy = 0.3 J
(b) KE2 = (½)(60 x 10-3)v2 = 0.3 J
v = 3.162 m/s
 Example 8
A swinging hammer of mass 2000 kg is hung by a chain of length 1 m.
The hammer is pulled aside for a horizontal distance of 0.3 m and is
then released.

At the moment of release: What is the height of the hammer above

its equilibrium position ? What is its potential energy relative to the
equilibrium position ?

With what velocity it will pass its lowest position after release ?

1m
1m
0.3m
h

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 Example 8
Solutions :

Let h be the height above its equilibrium position (lowest position)

(1 – h)2 + (0.3)2 = (1)2
(1 – h) = 0.954 m
h = 0.046 m
PE = mgh = (2000 kg) (10 m/s2) (0.046 m) = 920 J

At the lowest point, all PE have changed to KE.

KE = (1/2)(m)(v2) = (1/2)(2000 kg)(v)2 = 920 J
v = 0.96 m/s
Assume that no other energy has been transformed.
1m
1m
0.3m
h

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 Example 9
Ken pushes a block from rest with a constant
force 50 N for a distance 3 m. Mass of the
block is 30 kg and friction is negligible.
a) How much work has Ken done?
b) Find the acceleration of the block.
c) Find the final speed of the block.
d) What is the K.E. of the block?

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 Example 9
Solutions :
m = 30 kg, F = 50 N, S=3m
a) Work = 50 x 3 = 150 J

b) Unbalanced force (F) = m x a

50 = 30 x a
a = 1.67 ms-2

c) Apply equation of motion : v2 – u2 = 2 a S

v2 = 2 x a x S = 2 x 1.67 x 3 =10
v = 3.16 ms-1

d) Final K.E. = ½ m v2 = ½ x 30 x 10.02 = 150 J

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 Example 10
Find the speed of a 1.2 kg block which is pushed from rest on a smooth level
surface by a force of 4 N to travel for 0.5 m.

Solutions :

Work done on the block = F x d = 4 x 5 = 20 J

Since the block moves on a level surface, its P.E. does not change.
i.e. Δ P.E. = 0
Moreover, initial K.E. of the block is zero
W = Δ K.E.
20 J = Final K.E. – Initial K.E. = Final K.E. – 0
Final K.E. = (½)mv2 = 20 J
v = 5.77 m s-1

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 Power
• Power is the rate of doing work
• Power (in watt) tells how much work is done
in 1 second

Power = Work / Time taken

or Power = Force x speed
Unit of power : J s-1 or Watt (W)
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• When a constant force F is applied to a body moving
at a constant velocity v, the power P developed is
given by:

W Fs
P   Fv
t t

i.e. Power = Force x velocity

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 Power
• Power is equal to the energy transferred per unit
time. E
P
t
• Power is also a measure of the rate of doing work.
W
P
t
• The unit of power is Joule per second (J/s) or watt
(W).

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 Example 11
A stone of mass 3 kg is dropped from a cliff of
height 20 m into the sea. When the stone
reaches the sea, find

a)The change of P.E. of the stone.

b)The speed of the stone.

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 Example 11
Solutions :

a) Initial P.E. = mgh = 3 x 10 x 20 = 600 J

Final P.E. = 3 x 10 x 0 = 0
Change in P.E. = 0 – 600 = -600 J
∴Loss in P.E. = 600 J

b) The loss in P.E. = gain in K.E.

So the final K.E. of the stone = 600 J
K.E. = ½ mv2 = ½ x 3 x v2 = 600
∴ v = 20 ms-1
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 Example 12
12 N
20°

A ball of mass 1.5 kg is pushed from rest up a smooth

inclined plane by a 12 N force. After the ball has
travelled 3 m,
a) Find the work done by the 12 N force.
b) What is the change of P.E. of the ball?
c) Find the speed of the ball.

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 Example 12
Solutions :
a) Work = force x distance = 12 x 3 = 36 J
b) Height reached by the ball = 3 x sin 20° = 1.03 m
Gain in P.E. = mgh = 1.5 x 10 x 1.03 = 15.45 J
c) Since 12 N is the only force doing work on the ball,
Wtotal = 36 J
By conservation of energy,
Wtotal = ΔP.E. + ΔK.E.
36 = 15.45 + ΔK.E.
ΔK.E. = 20.55 J
Since the initial K.E. of the ball is zero, the final K.E. of the ball is 20.55 J
20.55 = ½ x 1.5 x v2
v = 5.23 ms-1

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 Example 13
Sam pushes a block with a constant force of
28 N. The block moves with uniform velocity
of 10 ms-1.
Find the power developed by Sam.

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 Example 13
Solutions :
Power developed by Sam
= Force x Speed = F x v
= 28 x 10
= 280 W

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 Example 14
Workers A (50 kg) & B (60 kg) start to ascend to the 10th floor of
a building simultaneously from the ground. A takes the lift &
reaches there in 15 s, while B runs up the stairs & arrives 30 s
later. The height of each floor is 4 m. Calculate the potential
energy gained by A & B. Estimate the power developed by B.

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 Example 14
Solutions :
Gain in PE relative to Ground Floor = mgh where h = 10 x 4 m = 40 m

PE gained by A = (50 kg) (10 m/s2) (40 m) = 20000 J

PE gained by B = (60 kg) (10 m/s2) (40 m) = 24000 J

Time taken by B to reach 10th Floor = 15 s + 30 s = 45 s

Power developed by B = work done / time taken

= Gain in PE / time taken = (24000 J) / (45 s) = 533 J/s = 533 W

Assume that no other energy has been transformed.

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 Energy Saving
Why do we need to save energy?

1. Nearly all of Hong Kong's electrical power,

and our gas supplies, come from fossil fuels -
coal and oil - which have to be imported.
Once they've been burnt, these fossil fuels
are gone forever. So the more energy we use
each day, the less there is left for the future.

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2. Burning fossil fuels creates pollution, and
this in its turn is having a growing and
adverse effect on the complex control
mechanisms which regulate the earth's
climate.

3. Consuming less energy, by being more

efficient in the way you run your home, will
naturally save you money. At the same time,
you will be helping to protect the
environment and safeguarding the future.

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Strategies and Means of Energy Saving:

Most of the energy resources we use

nowadays are Non-renewable. Once they
are used up, they will be gone, so we must
do our best to save as much energy as we
can. The followings are the ways that we can
save energy in our daily life :

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• Recycle and Reuse
• Save water
• Turn off appliances when they are not in use
• Suitable management and application of
appliances
• Application of appliances with energy saving
labels
• Save energy in cooking
• Save energy in transportation

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 Renewable Energy Projects
• In Hong Kong, the primary use of solar energy
at present is the provision of hot water for
swimming pools and for the slaughterhouse in
Sheung Shui.
• Some small-scale photovoltaic and wind
systems have been installed in remote areas
to generate nominal electrical power for
lighting and on-site data recording equipment.

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A 350 kW photovoltaic (PV) system has been installed
on the roof of the New EMSD Headquarters in Kowloon
Bay to supply usable solar power by means of
photovoltaics.

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