Conservation of Mechanical

Energy
Lecture 3 SCIENVP 3rd Term 2016
ENVP.Rempillo@gmail.com

Review
Kinetic Energy
Movement
Potential Energy
Position
Mechanical Energy
movement and position
Conservation of Mechanical Energy

Formula Review

K = mv 2
Translational Kinetic Energy
2

Gravitational Potential Energy

U = mgh
Mechanical Energy

E = K + U

Concepts
Conservative force
the work done by the force on an object moving
from one point to another depends only on the
initial and final positions of the object, and is
independent of the particular path taken.
Example: gravitational force

Non conservative force

the work done depends not only on the starting
and ending points, but also on the path taken
Frictional force is a nonconservative force

Work Kinetic Energy

theorem

Wnet = Fnet * d * cos 0 = Fnet * d

Fnet = m * a
Wnet = m * a * d
a = change in velocity/time

Work done by a gravitational force

UG = UG2 UG1 = m g h2 m g h1

W = F d cos 180 but F = mg

W = m g (h2 h1) (-1)

W = - (mgh2 mgh1)
For any conservative force

Work and Mechanical Energy

Generalized work-energy principle:

The total nonconservative work done on a system is equal to
the gain in mechanical energy of the system.

Conservation of mechanical
energy
Special case: When there are no nonconservative
forces doing work on the object
then WN=0, E=0 which means E=const, or
Efinal = Einitial

K2 + U2 = K1 + U1

The principle of conservation of mechanical

energy:
If only conservative forces are doing work, the total
mechanical energy of a system neither increases nor

Examples of conserved
mechanical energy

Answer

A: h = 0.306 m (6 J = 2 kg *9.8 m/s/s

* h)
B: h = 0.153 m (3 J = 2 kg *9.8 m/s/s
* h)
C: v = 1.73 m/s (3 J = 0.5 * 2 kg * v2)
D: h = 0 m (0 J = 2 kg * 9.8 m/s/s*h)
E: v = 2.45 m/s (6 J = 0.5 * 2 kg * v2)
F: h = 0.306 m (6 J = 2 kg * 9.8 m/s/s
* h)

Example

If frictional forces and air resistance were acting upon the

falling ball in #1 would the kinetic energy of the ball just
prior to striking the ground be more, less, or equal to the
value predicted

Answer
The only force doing work is gravity. Since it is an internal or
conservative force, the total mechanical energy is conserved.
Thus, the 100 J of original mechanical energy is present at each
position. So the KE for A is 50 J.
The PE at the same stairstep is 50 J (C) and thus the KE is also 50 J
(D).
The PE at zero height is 0 J (F and I). And so the kinetic energy at
the bottom of the hill is 100 J (G and J).
Using the equation KE = 0.5*m*v2, the velocity can be determined
to be 7.07 m/s for B and E and 10 m/s for H and K.
The answers given here for the speed values are presuming that all
the kinetic energy of the ball is in the form of translational kinetic

Answer

The kinetic energy would be

less in a situation that
involves friction. Friction
would do negative work and
thus remove mechanical
energy from the falling ball.

Individual Exercise
As the object moves from point A to point D across the surface, the
sum of its gravitational potential and kinetic energies ____.
a. decreases, only
b. decreases and then increases
c. increases and then decreases
d. remains the same
The object will have a minimum
gravitational potential energy at point
____.
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E

Answer

Answer to Exercise
The answer is D. The total mechanical energy (i.e., the sum of
the kinetic and potential energies) is everywhere the same
whenever there are no external or nonconservative forces
(such as friction or air resistance) doing work.
The answer is B. Gravitational potential energy depends
upon height (PE=m*g*h). The PE is a minimum when the
height is a minimum. Position B is the lowest position in the
diagram.

Power

Definition of Power
Power is the rate at which work is
done
Power = Work/time
Unit of Power = Joule/s = Watt

Formula for Power

Example

When doing a chin-up, a physics student lifts

her 42.0-kg body a distance of 0.25 meters
in 2 seconds. What is the power delivered by
the student's biceps?

Answer
To raise her body upward at a constant speed, the
student must apply a force which is equal to her
weight (mg). The work done to lift her body is
W = F * d = (411.6 N) * (0.250 m)
W = 102.9 J
The power is the work/time ratio which is (102.9 J) /
(2 seconds) = 51.5 Watts (rounded)

Checkpoint

During a physics lab, Jack and Jill ran up a hill. Jack

is twice as massive as Jill; yet Jill ascends the same
distance in half the time. Who did the most work?
______________ Who delivered the most power?
______________ Explain your answers.

Answer to Checkpoint

Jack does more work than Jill. Jack must apply

twice the force to lift his twice-as-massive body
up the same flight of stairs.
Yet, Jill is just as "power-full" as Jack. Jill does
one-half the work yet does it one-half the time.
The reduction in work done is compensated for
by the reduction in time.