Calculate Elastic Potential Energy

Mechanical Energy Problems and Solutions

See examples of mechanical energy problems involving kinetic energy, potential
energy, and the conservation of energy. Check your work with ours.
1. How much gravitational potential energy do you have when you lift a 15 N
object 10 meters off the ground?

2. How much gravitational potential energy is in a 20 kg mass when 0.6 meters

above the ground?

3. How much gravitational potential energy does a 35 kg boulder have when 30

meters off the ground?
4. How many times greater is an objects potential energy when three times
higher?

If you need help on ratio problems click the link below:

Rule of Ones: analyzing equations to determine how other variables change

5.  How much kinetic energy does a 0.15 kg ball thrown at 24 m/s have?
6.  How many times greater is the kinetic energy of a ball that is going five times
faster?

7.  How much kinetic energy does a 1.2 kg ball have the moment it hits the ground
3.5 meters below when it starts from rest?

I cancelled out the initial kinetic energy because:

 KEi = ½ mvf2
 KEi = (½)(3.5)(02) = 0 J

I cancelled out the final potential energy because:

 PEf = mghf
 PEf = (3.5)(9.8)(0) = 0 J

8.  How fast is a 1.2 kg ball traveling the moment it hits the ground 3.5 meters
below when it starts from rest?

I cancelled out the initial kinetic energy because:

 KEi = ½ mvf2
 KEi = (½)(3.5)(02) = 0 J

I cancelled out the final potential energy because:

  PEf = mghf
 PEf = (3.5)(9.8)(0) = 0 J

(Note: In many of these problems I could cancel out mass but did not since it was
provided)

Since I did not cancel out mass I could answer the following questions if asked:

 How much mechanical energy did you have at the beginning? (41.6 J)
 How much kinetic energy did you have at the beginning? (0 J)
 How much potential energy did you have at the beginning? (41.6 J)
 How much potential energy do you have at the end? (0 J)

If I cancelled out mass in my work it would not show the actual initial potential energy
since PEi = mgh and not just gh.

9.  A 3.5 kg ball fell from a height of 12 meters.  How fast is it traveling when its
still 5 meters off the ground?

I cancelled out the initial kinetic energy because:

 KEi = ½ mvf2
 KEi = (½)(3.5)(02) = 0 J
10. An 85kg roller coaster cart is traveling 4 m/s at the top of a hill 50 meters off
the ground.  How fast is it traveling at top of a second hill 20 meters off the
ground?

Work-Energy Theorem

Problem: A 6-{\rm kg}6−kg object has a speed of 2\,{\rm m/s}2m/s at point A

and 4\,{\rm m/s}4m/s later at point B. Find the total work done on the object as it
moves from point A to B.

Solution: The object's mass and its velocities at two different points are given, and we
are asked to find the total work done on the object. 
All these information guide us to use the work-kinetic energy theorem. Because to find
the work done on an object there are two ways, either use the work formula in
physics, W=Fd\cos\thetaW=Fdcosθ, or the work-energy principle. (The first method is
a problem on work in physics)
In this case, neither forces acting on the object nor the distance traveled were given, so
we are forced to use the work-energy theorem.
Wnet=ΔK
=21mv B − 21mv A
2 2

= 1/2(6)(4) − 1/2 (6)(2)

2 2

=36 J

Solved Example Problems for Center of Mass of Two Point Masses

Example 5.1
Two point masses 3 kg and 5 kg are at 4 m and 8 m from the origin on X-axis.
Locate the position of center of mass of the two point masses (i) from the origin
and (ii) from 3 kg mass.

Solution
Let us take, m1 = 3 kg and m2= 5 kg

(i) To find center of mass from the origin:

The point masses are at positions, x1 = 4 m, x2 = 8 m from the origin along X axis.
The center of mass xCM can be obtained using equation 5.4.

The center of mass is located 6.5 m from the origin on X-axis.

(ii) To find the center of mass from 3 kg mass:

The origin is shifted to 3 kg mass along X-axis. The position of 3 kg point mass is
zero (x1 = 0) and the position of 5 kg point mass is 4 m from the shifted origin
(x2 = 4 m).
The center of mass is located 2.5 m from 3 kg point mass, (and 1.5 m from the 5
kg point mass) on X-axis.
This result shows that the center of mass is located closer to larger mass. 
If the origin is shifted to the center of mass, then the principle of moments holds
good. 
m1x1=m2x2; 3x2.5=5x1.5;7.5=7.5
When we compare case (i) with case (ii), the xCM = 2.5m from 3 kg mass could also
be obtained by subtracting 4 m (the position of 3 kg mass) from 6.5 m, where the
center of mass was located in case (i)