CONSERVATION OF

MECHANICAL ENERGY
POTENTIAL AND KINETIC ENERGY
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Infer that the total mechanical energy

remains the same during any process.

Perform activities to demonstrate

conservation of mechanical energy
ENERGY
All objects regardless of their state of motion (at rest or moving)
posses a certain amount of energy.
ENERGY CAN BE TRANSFORMED FROM ONE FORM TO ANOTHER. IN
SUCH TRANSFORMATIONS, ENERGY IS SAID TO BE CONSERVED.
MECHANICAL ENERGY IS ENERGY ACQUIRED BY
OBJECTS UPON WHICH WORK IS DONE. THIS FORM OF
ENERGY CLOSELY RELATES TO THE ELEMENTARY
DEFINITION OF ENERGY WHICH IS THE CAPACITY TO DO
WORK.
THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF MECHANICAL ENERGY:
1. POTENTIAL ENERGY – IS ENERGY POSSESED BY OBJECTS AT REST.

A. GRAVITATIONAL POTENTIAL ENERGY – IS

THE ENERGY POSSESED BY AN OBJECT
BECAUSE OF ITS LOCATION OR POSITION
THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF MECHANICAL ENERGY:
1. POTENTIAL ENERGY – IS ENERGY POSSESED BY OBJECTS AT REST.

B. ELASTIC POTENTIAL ENERGY – IS THE

ENERGY STORED IN A STRETCHED OR
COMPRESSED ELASTIC MATERIAL SUCH AS
SPRING.
THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF MECHANICAL ENERGY:
2. KINETIC ENERGY – IS ENERGY POSSESED BY AN OBJECT BY VIRTUE
OF ITS MOTION.
THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF MECHANICAL ENERGY:
2. KINETIC ENERGY – IS ENERGY POSSESED BY AN OBJECT BY VIRTUE
OF ITS MOTION.
THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF MECHANICAL ENERGY:
2. KINETIC ENERGY – IS ENERGY POSSESED BY AN OBJECT BY VIRTUE
OF ITS MOTION.
FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2
FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2
FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2

WHEN THE BALL IS ON THE TOP IT HAS

POTENTIAL ENERGY, HOWEVER AS IT START
TO FALL , THE POTENTIAL ENERGY IS SLOWLY
CONVERTED TO KINETIC ENERGY. WHEN THE
BALL TOUCHES THE GROUND, THERE IS NO
MORE POTENTIAL ENERGY BUT INSTEAD
KINETIC ENERGY
THE SUM OF POTENTIAL ENERGY AND KINETIC
ENERGY IS CALLED TOTAL MECHANICAL ENERGY.

= PE + KE
Where = Total Mechanical Energy
PE = Potential Energy; and
KE = Kinetic Energy
THE SUM OF POTENTIAL ENERGY AND KINETIC
ENERGY IS CALLED TOTAL MECHANICAL ENERGY.

TE= PE + KE
Where TE = Total Mechanical Energy
PE = Potential Energy; and
KE = Kinetic Energy

J = Joule
FOR GRAVITATIONAL POTENTIAL ENERGY OF AN
OBJECT. IT IS DETERMINED BY THIS EQUATION.

GPE = mgh
Where GPE= Gravitational Potential Energy
m = mass
g = acceleration due to gravity
h = height
FOR KINETIC ENERGY OF AN OBJECT.
IT IS DETERMINED BY THIS EQUATION.
KE =

Where KE= Kinetic

m = mass
v = velocity
ACTIVITY