Kinetic and Gravitational Potential Energy

What energy changes are taking place here?

 Learning Objectives
● Calculate transfers of gravitational potential
energy near the Earth’s surface.
● Calculate the kinetic energy of a body.
• Calculate exchanges between gravitational
potential and kinetic energies, based on energy
conservation.
 Kinetic energy and GPE
Kinetic energy (Ek) is the energy an object has due to its
motion.
Ek = ½ mv2
Kinetic energy = ½ mass x speed2

Energy is an example
of a scalar and so
kinetic energy is
always a positive
value. The unit of
kinetic energy is the
joule (J)
 Kinetic energy and GPE
• How much kinetic energy, in MJ, does a train have when
it moves at 23 km h-1 and has a mass of 150 000 kg?

Ek = ½ mv2

v = 23 x 1000/3600  to convert to ms-1

Ek = 3.1 MJ
 Kinetic energy and GPE
Work done by gravity = ∆ Ep
∆ Ep = force x distance moved in direction of force
Here force is simply the object’s weight, W = mg, and
distance is the change in height, ∆h
∆ Ep = mg ∆h

So Ep = mgh is the general equation for GPE

 Kinetic energy and GPE
Gravitational potential energy is the potential energy of
an object due to its position in a gravitational field.

ΔEp = mgΔh
 Kinetic energy and GPE
Potential energy is the energy of an object due to its
position, shape or the internal arrangement of its
particles. (examples include gravitational, elastic strain)

We will focus here on the

transfer of energy between
kinetic and gravitational
potential stores.
 Kinetic energy and GPE
For situations where the kinetic energy of an object is
transferred into gravitational potential energy (or the
reverse situation) we can say:

Change in Ep = mgh
Change in EK = ½ mv2

So, mgh = ½ mv2

And solving for v or h: v = and Δh =

Examples
 Kinetic energy and GPE
Starting from rest, a child zooms down a frictionless slide
from an initial height of 3.00 m. Her mass is 25.0 kg.
Calculate her velocity at the bottom of the slide.
 Kinetic energy and GPE
Starting from rest, a child zooms down a frictionless slide from
an initial height of 3.00 m. Her mass is 25.0 kg. What is her
velocity at the bottom of the slide?
Loss in Ep = mgh
Gain in EK = ½ mv2

The slide is frictionless so loss in Ep = gain in EK (no heat loss)

½ mv2 = mgh
½ x 25 v2 = 25 x 9.81 x 3
12.5 v2 = 736
v2 = 58.88 so v = 7.67 ms-1
 Kinetic energy and GPE
In the presence of drag forces
not all of the GPE is
converted into KE.
Where does the energy go?
Some energy is converted
into thermal energy due to Loss in potential energy =
work done against air gain in kinetic energy +
resistance and friction. work done against air
resistance and friction.
 Kinetic energy and GPE
A fairground vehicle is initially at rest at the top of the
track. If its speed at the bottom of the track is v.
Loss in Ep = mgh
Gain in EK = ½ mv2

If ½ mv2 ≠ mgh then not all the potential energy is

converted into kinetic energy.
Work done against drag = mgh – ½ mv2
Kinetic energy and GPE
As a pendulum bob swings, its
height above its equilibrium
point changes.

It starts from rest so its initial

Ek is zero. At this stage it has
maximum potential energy.

At its equilibrium point it has

maximum Ek and minimum
potential energy.
Kinetic energy and GPE
If its initial height above
equilibrium was ho then
whenever it has a height of h,
it has velocity given by:

Gain in EK = loss of Ep from

initial height

½ mv2 = mg (ho – h)
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