UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN

Centre : Centre for Foundation Studies (CFS)

Course : Foundation in Science
Year / Trimester : Year 1 / Trimester 1
Course Code / Title : FHSC1014 / Mechanics

Tutorial 5: Work and Energy - Main

1. A rope making an angle of 35.0°to the horizontal drags a 10.0 kg toolbox a horizontal
distance of 20.0 m. The tension in the rope is 60.0 N and the constant kinetic frictional
force is 30.0 N.

Find
(a) the work done by the rope,

(b) the work done by frictional force,

(c) the resultant work, and

(d) the coefficient of kinetic friction between the toolbox and the floor.
[Answer: (a) 983 J; (b) –600 J; (c) 383 J; (d) 0.472]

2. A wooden block with a mass of m = 200 g was placed on an inclined plane and the
angle of the incline was slowly increased until the block begins to slide.

(a) If the coefficient of static friction is 0.300, what is the angle at which it begins
to slide?

(b) The wooden block is then allowed to slide down the incline. If the length of the
incline was 1.00 m and the coefficient of kinetic friction is 0.200, find the work
done by the kinetic frictional force as it slides down the inclined plane.

(c) Using energy considerations, find the final velocity at the bottom of the incline
if it slides down from rest.
[Answer: (a) 16.7°; (b) –0.375 J; (c) 1.37 m/s]

3. Two objects are connected by a light string passing

over a light frictionless pulley as shown in figure.
The object of mass 5.50 kg is released from rest.

(a) Using the principle of conservation of 5.50 kg

mechanical energy, determine the
speed of the 3.20 kg object just as the
5.50 kg object hits the ground. 3.20 kg h = 5.00 m

(b) Find the maximum height to which

the 3.20 kg object rises.
[Answer: (a) 5.09 m/s; (b) 6.32 m]

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4. Figure below shows two blocks A and B (with mass 50 kg and 100 kg, respectively) are
connected by a string. The pulley is frictionless and of negligible mass.

The coefficient of kinetic friction between block A and the incline is μk = 0.25.
Determine the change in the kinetic energy of block A as it moves from C to D, a
distance of 20 m up the incline if the system starts from rest. [Answer: 3.9 kJ]

5.

[Answer: 415 N/m]

6.

A block with a mass of m = 2.00 kg situated on a rough incline is connected to a spring

of negligible mass having a spring constant of 100 N/m. The block is released from rest
when the spring is unstretched, and the pulley is frictionless. The block moves 20.0 cm
down the incline before coming to rest. Find the coefficient of kinetic friction between
the block and incline. [Answer: 0.115]

7. A 0.500 kg block is dropped onto a relaxed vertical spring that has a spring constant of
300 N/m. The block becomes attached to the spring and compresses the spring 15.0 cm
before come to a momentarily stop.
(a) State the law of conservation of mechanical energy.
(b) The work done by the gravitational force during the time of compressing the
spring by the block.
(c) The work done by the spring force during the time of compressing the spring by
the block.
(d) The speed of the block just before it hits the spring.
(e) Give one example (1) of conservative force other than the gravity force and
spring force.
(f) Give two (2) examples of non-conservative force.
[Answer: (b) 0.735 J; (c) –3.375 J; (d) 3.24 m/s]

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8. On a frictionless horizontal rail, the electric motor of a model train accelerates the train
from rest to a speed of 0.620 m/s in 21.0 ms. Given that the total mass of the train is
875 g, find the average power delivered to the train during its acceleration.
[Answer: 8.00 W]

Tutorial 5: Work and Energy - Extra

9. An inclined plank which is used to transfer a box from the ground up onto a lorry is
shown in the diagram below.

If the plank is shortened, what is the change of the work done against the frictional
force? Explain your answer mathematically and clearly show your steps of calculation.
[Answer: Decreases]

10. As shown in the figure, a small block of mass m that

is held in contact with the floor and is connected to
another bigger block of mass 3m by a light rope
passing through a smooth pulley.
If the block of mass m is released, by using the
principle of conservation of mechanical energy, find
the speed of the block of mass 3m (in terms of g and
h) just before it touches the floor.
[Answer: v = gh ]

11. Tarzan swings on a 30.0 m long vine initially inclined at an angle of 37.0° with the
vertical. What is his speed at the bottom of the swing
(a) if he starts from rest?
(b) If he pushes off with a speed of 4.00 m/s?
[Answer: (a) 10.9 m/s; (b) 11.6 m/s]

12. A sledge loaded with bricks has a total mass of 18.0 kg and is pulled at constant speed
by a rope inclined at 20.0° above the horizontal. The sledge moves a distance of 20.0
m on a rough horizontal surface. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the sledge
and surface is 0.500.
(a) What is the tension in the rope?
(b) How much work is done by the rope on the sledge?
(c) What is the mechanical energy lost due to friction?
[Answer: (a) 79.4N; (b) 1.49×103 J; (c) –1.49×103 J]

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13. Figure below shows a 60.0 kg trampoline artist jumps vertically upwards from the top
of a 3.00 m height platform with a speed of 6.0 m/s.

(a) Determine his velocity as he lands on the trampoline.

(b) If the trampoline behaves like a spring with force constant of 6.80  10 4 N/m,
how far will he depress it?
[Answer: (a) 9.74 m/s; (b) 0.298 m]