Professional Documents
Culture Documents
T - Work, Power and Energy Conservation - Questions
T - Work, Power and Energy Conservation - Questions
Q1.
An electric motor of input power 100 W raises a mass of 10 kg vertically at a steady speed
of 0.5 m s–1. What is the efficiency of the system?
A 5%
B 12%
C 50%
D 100%
(Total 1 mark)
Q2.
A car exerts a driving force of 500 N when travelling at a constant speed of
72 km h–1 on a level track. What is the work done in 5 minutes?
A 3.0 × 106 J
B 2.0 × 106 J
C 2.0 × 105 J
D 1.1 × 105 J
(Total 1 mark)
Q3.
Which of the following is not a unit of power?
A N m s–1
B kg m2 s–3
C J s–1
D kg m–1 s–1
(Total 1 mark)
Page 1 of 12
Q4.
A weightlifter lifts a weight of 1500 N through a height of 0.35 m in a time of 0.85 s.
Calculate the mean power developed by the weightlifter.
power ____________________ W
(Total 2 marks)
Q5.
The diagram below shows a man participating in a ‘strong man’ competition. The event
requires the man to haul a concrete block along a horizontal path for a distance of 15 m.
The frictional force between the block and the path is 2800 N.
force ____________________ N
(1)
(b) Calculate the minimum work that the man has to do to complete the event.
Page 2 of 12
Q6.
A skydiver of mass 70 kg, jumps from a stationary balloon and reaches a speed of
45 m s–1 after falling a distance of 150 m.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
(4)
(b) The difference between the loss of gravitational potential energy and the gain in
kinetic energy is equal to the work done against air resistance. Use this fact to
calculate
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
(ii) the average force due to air resistance acting on the skydiver.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 7 marks)
Q7.
Tidal power could make a significant contribution to UK energy requirements. This
question is about a tidal power station which traps sea water behind a tidal barrier at high
tide and then releases the water through turbines 10.0 m below the high tide mark.
Page 3 of 12
(i) Calculate the mass of sea water covering an area of 120 km2 and depth 10.0 m.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
(ii) Calculate the maximum loss of potential energy of the sea water in part (i) when it
is released through the turbines.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
(iii) The potential energy of the sea water released through the turbines, calculated in
part (ii), is lost over a period of 6.0 hours. Estimate the average power output of the
power station over this time period. Assume the power station efficiency is 40%.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
(Total 7 marks)
Q8.
A cyclist travelling along a level road at a constant speed of 15 m s–1 experiences a
resistive force of 12 N due to air resistance.
(a) Calculate the power output of the cyclist maintaining this constant speed.
(b) State and explain any change in the power output of the cyclist when cycling at a
higher, constant speed.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 4 marks)
Page 4 of 12
Q9.
The world record for a high dive into deep water is 54 m.
(a) Calculate the loss in gravitational potential energy (gpe) of a diver of mass 65 kg
falling through 54 m.
(b) Calculate the vertical velocity of the diver the instant before he enters the water.
Ignore the effects of air resistance.
(c) Calculate the time taken for the diver to fall 54 m. Ignore the effects of air
resistance.
time = ____________________ s
(2)
(d) Explain, with reference to energy, why the velocity of the diver is independent of his
mass if air resistance is insignificant.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 9 marks)
Page 5 of 12
Q10.
The following figure shows an athlete of mass 65 kg about to perform a pole vault.
The centre of mass of the athlete rises 4.2 m during the vault.
(a) Calculate the change in potential energy of the athlete between take off and
reaching the highest point.
(b) Assuming that the centre of mass falls the same distance when falling. Calculate
the vertical speed, in m s−1, of the athlete when he lands.
(c) Explain how the landing mat reduces the force experienced by the athlete to an
acceptable level when landing.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 6 marks)
Page 6 of 12
Q11.
The diagram below shows a possible design for a pumped storage system used to
generate electricity.
Water from the upper reservoir is to fall through a vertical distance of 90 m before
reaching a powerplant chamber. The water rotates a turbine in the chamber that drives an
electricity generator. After leaving the turbine, the water travels through an exit pipe to a
lake.
(a) Show that the maximum possible speed of the water as it arrives at the turbine is
about 40 m s−1.
(2)
(b) The volume of water flowing into the turbine every second is 3.5 m3.
Estimate the radius of the intake pipe that is required for the system.
Page 7 of 12
(c) The water leaves the powerplant chamber at a speed of 12 m s−1.
Calculate the maximum possible power output of the turbine and generator.
Give an appropriate unit for your answer.
(d) Energy losses are estimated to reduce the output power for the turbine and
generator to 60% of the value you calculated in part (c).
1. _________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 10 marks)
Page 8 of 12
Q12.
A hydroelectric power station has a power output of 2.0 MW when water passes through
its turbines at a rate of 1.4 m3 s–1 . The water is supplied from a reservoir which is 750 m
above the power station turbines, as shown in the diagram below.
(a) Calculate
(i) the mass of water passing through the turbines each second,
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
(ii) the loss of potential energy per second of the water flowing between the
reservoir and the power station turbines,
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
(6)
Page 9 of 12
(b) The turbines drive generators that produce alternating current at an rms potential
difference of 25 kV which is then stepped up to an rms potential difference of 275 kV
by means of a transformer.
(i) Calculate the rms current supplied by the generators to the transformer when
the power output of the generators is 2.0 MW.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
(ii) The transformer has an efficiency of 95%. Calculate the output current of the
transformer.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
(4)
(Total 10 marks)
Page 10 of 12
Q13.
(a) State the law of conservation of energy.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(b) The diagram shows a block on a horizontal table top initially held against a spring
so that the spring is compressed. The other end of the spring is fixed to a wall.
When released the block is pushed away by the spring. When the spring reaches its
natural length the block leaves the spring and then slides along the table top. A
constant frictional force acting between the moving block and the table top
eventually brings the block to rest.
(i) When the block leaves the spring, the block has a kinetic energy of 2.2 J. The
mass of the block is 0.40 kg.
Calculate the maximum velocity of the block.
Page 11 of 12
(1)
(ii) The block travels 1.2 m after leaving the spring before coming to rest.
Show that the frictional force between the block and the table top is about 1.8
N.
(1)
(iii) The spring was initially compressed through 0.20 m. The constant frictional
force acts on the block whenever it is moving.
Calculate the elastic potential energy in the spring when in its initial
compressed position.
Assume the spring has negligible mass.
State an appropriate unit for your answer.
(iv) The force exerted on the block by the spring is proportional to the
compression of the spring.
Calculate the maximum force exerted on the block by the spring.
Page 12 of 12