Power

Rate at which work is done

W
P=
t
Units: 1 kg m2 s-2 s-1
= 1 J s-1
= 1 W (watt)
 Example 1
A crane lifts 1000 kg steel beam to a height of 50 m in
70 s.
Calculate the work done and the power.
Work done against gravity - F should be slightly > mg
F = mg = 9 800 N
W = FS = 9800*50
= 490 000 J = 490 kJ
W 490 000
P= = = 7 000 W
t 70
= 7 kW
 Example 2
A horizontal force of 5 N is needed to maintain a
velocity of 2 m s-1 for a block of mass 10 kg sliding
over a rough surface.
How much work is done in a minute?
S = ut = 2 x 60 = 120 m
W = F S = 5 x 120 = 600 J
The work is done against friction.
 Energy
Ability or capacity of a body to do work
Several forms of energy
❑ Kinetic – virtue of its motion
❑Potential (Gravitational) – virtue of position
❑Chemical – Stored in fuels (coal, petrol, e.t.c.)
❑Nuclear – Conversion from mass to energy
(nuclear fission, fusion)
E = mc2
❑Thermal
❑Electrical
Deal with Mechanical – Kinetic and potential
 Work Energy Principle
When work is done on an object, its energy will
change such that the work done on the object is
equal to the change in the energy of the object

Law of conservation of energy

Energy cannot be destroyed or created; it can only
be transformed from one form into another, but the
total energy of the system is unchanged
useful output work or energy
Efficiency, =
Total input work or energy
Kinetic energy and Potential energy
Work Energy Principle can be used to derive:
1
𝐾. 𝐸 = 𝑚𝑣 2
2
1 1
𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝐾. 𝐸 = 𝑚𝑣 2 − 𝑚𝑢2
2 2
𝑃. 𝐸 = 𝑚𝑔ℎ

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑃. 𝐸 = 𝑚𝑔ℎ − 𝑚𝑔ℎ𝑜

 Example 1
How much work is required to raise a 0.2 kg block
to a height of 2 m and simultaneously give the block
a velocity of 6 m s-1?

W = E E = P.E and K.E

P.E = mgh = 0.2 * 9.8 * 2 = 3.92 J
K .E = mv = 12 * 0.2 * 6 2 = 3.60 J
1
2
2

W = E = P.E + K .E = 7.52 J

 Example 2
A 3 kg block starts from rest and slides 4 m along a
plane that is inclined to the horizontal at an angle of
30o. After sliding for 4 m the velocity of the block is
5 m s-1. Use work energy principle to determine the
coefficient of friction between the block and the
plane.

4m v=0
h
v = 5 m s-1
30o
 P.E converted to K.E W = M .Ebot − M .Etop
W = mv − mgh = mv − mg (4 sin 30 )
1
2
2 1
2
2

= * 3 * 5 − 3 * 9.8 * 4 sin 30 = −21.3 J

1
2
2

The work is done by frictional force

W = − f k S = −  k RS But R = mg cos 
W
W = −  k mgS cos    k = −
mgS cos
− 21.3
 k = − = 0.21
3 * 9.8 * 4 * cos 30
For both K.E and P.E it is the change that is important
In the absence of resistive forces, the total
mechanical energy remains constant.
Could be used to calculate the velocity of an object
under free fall.
Example 3
A roller-coaster car of mass 200 kg starts at the top
of a 30 m hill with a speed of 4 m s-1 and dives
down into a valley whose deepest point is 10 m,
before climbing to the top of a 20 m hill. Assuming
the surfaces are smooth, find the magnitudes of the
velocities at the deepest point and at the top of the
20 m high hill
 30 m
20 m
10 m

At every point total M.E is constant

mgh30 + mv = mgh10 + mv = mgh20 + mv
1
2
2
30
1
2
2
10
1
2
2
20
1
2 mv = mgh30 + mv − mgh10
2
10
1
2
2
30
1
2 mv = mgh30 + mv − mgh10
2
10
1
2
2
30

v = 2 g (h30 − h10 ) + v
2
10
2
30

v10 = 2 g (h30 − h10 ) + v 2

30

−1
= 2 * 9.8(30 − 10) + 4 2 = 20 .2 m s

Similarly, v20 = 2 g (h30 − h20 ) + v 2

30

= 2 * 9.8(30 − 20) + 4 2

−1
= 14 .6 m s