Physics 211R:

The Work - Kinetic Energy Theorem

Reading Assignment:

Chapter 7, Sections 2-8

F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class John Sullivan
http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/images/image-cv16.html
Introduction:

Aircraft takes off from the deck of ships via a catapult system. Essentially, a large force is applied
to the aircraft as it is displaced across the deck of the ship. The purpose of this is obvious. A plane needs to
reach a particular speed before it can remain airborne and the catapult provides the means to do this. In the
language of Kinematics, one would describe the motion of the plane as having acceleration. In the
language of Newtons Laws, one would explain that the Net Force on the plane was responsible for causing
the accelerated motion. However, there is another language used by Physicists to explain situations such as
this aircraft example. This language, and approach to solving problems, is founded upon the concepts of
work and energy. The purpose of this lab is to accelerate a cart using two different mock catapult
systems and to analyze each of these systems from a work and energy perspective.

Work is the change in energy from one form to another by means of an external force. When work
is done on an object, therefore, the object is said to have either gained or lost a certain amount of energy of
a particular type. Hence the units of work are the same as the units of energy: joules. Work is
considered to be positive, negative, or zero in value, depending on the direction of transfer.

Work is accomplished on an object any time a force acts over a particular displacement , d, such
that the force, or some component of it, is parallel to the displacement. If the force is constant throughout
the entire displacement of the object, then the following equation is valid:
Wsub = Fsub d
or
Wsub = F//sub d
Where , signifies dot product, meaning that only the component of the force which is parallel to the
displacement (F// ) contributes to the work. This can be simplified to the equation
Wsub = Fsub d cos
Where is defined as the angle between the force and displacement vectors, sub refers to the descriptive
subscript clarifying which force is doing the work, and F//sub = Fsub cos . If the subscript is friction, for
example, then the equation describes the work done on the object by friction. It the subscript is gravity,
for example, then the equation describes the work done on the object by the force of gravity. If the
subscript is net, for example, then the equation describes the net (or total) work done on the object. It is
important to clarify exactly which force, and therefore, work, is being described, because most objects are

2004 Penn State University Physics 211R: Lab Work - Kinetic Energy Theorem
acted upon by more than one force simultaneously. It is important to clarify exactly which force, and
therefore, work, is being described, because most objects are acted upon by more than one force
simultaneously. The total work done on an object describes the overall result of the transfer of energy
caused by all of the forces combined. Work can be positive, negative, or zero in value, depending on the
value of . (Recall that cos = 1 if = 0 and cos = -1 if = 180.) In addition, it is important to keep
in mind that the above equation is valid if and only if F// sub is constant.

If the force is not constant (variable), then the work done cannot be determined via the equation
above. Instead, the following integral (for the case of one-dimensional displacement along the x-axis in
which = 0) must be evaluated:

xf
W sub = F sub( x)dx
xi

Essentially, the work done is found by determining the area under the Force vs. Position graph. See Section
7-8 of the text by Halliday, Resnick, and Walker. One example of a non-constant force is a spring force.
Springs exert a force that varies in a predictable linear fashion described by Hookes Law:

F
s
Fby the spring = - k s

where s is the stretch of the spring from its equilibrium (at rest) position and k represents the
force constant of the spring (N/m). Notice the negative sign and the subscript of the force why is it there?
The work done by a spring force, due to its linear nature, is rather simple to calculate using the integral
above. The resulting equation is:

W spring
= 12 ksi2 12 ks 2f

Data Studio has the ability to estimate the area under a particular plot of data by integrating the
area under the curve using an iterative method, you will use Data Studio to measure the work done by the
spring and compare it to the work you calculate with the equation above (part 3) and with the Work-Kinetic
Energy Theorem. The Work-Kinetic Energy states that the total work done on an object causes a change in
kinetic energy:

Wtotal = K = Kf Ki
where the Total Work is determined by the sum of the work done by each of the individual forces acting on
the object, such as:

Wtotal =Wby an applied force+Wby friction+Wby gravity+Wby a spring +Wby the normal force(etc.)
Therefore, if the work done by a particular force appears not to be equal to the change in kinetic energy of
the object, then the system should by analyzed for possible work (positive or negative) done by other
forces. (Read Section 7-3 for a thorough explanation of the Work-Kinetic Energy Theorem.)

2004 Penn State University Physics 211R: Lab Work - Kinetic Energy Theorem
 The Work - Kinetic Energy Theorem
Goals:

Determine the Work done by a constant & a non-constant force.

Verify the Work-Kinetic Energy Theorem.
Determine the Spring Constant, k, of a given spring and use it to
calculate the work done by a spring.

Equipment List:

Data Studio
1.2 meter track with adjustable feet
Dynamics cart with force sensor attached
Ultrasonic motion detector
String
Pulley
Scale balance (for measuring the mass of the cart)
Mass hanger and mass set
Spring

Lab Activity 1: Work Done by a Constant Force

The purpose of this Activity is to calculate the Work done by a Constant force by looking at the area
under the Force vs Distance Curve and to compare that to the change in Kinetic energy it feels.

Theoretical: Draw a Force body diagram for the cart shown in Figure 1. Determine which forces do work
on the cart as it moves down the track.
Force Sensor

Motion Detector
Dynamics Cart

Track

Figure 1.

Experimental Measurements:
1) Measure the total mass of the dynamics cart and the attached force sensor. Record this mass, m.
2) Set up the equipment as in the figure 1.
3) Set up Data Studio to read the data collected from the force and the motion detector located
at the end of the track.
a) Always remember to first remove all tension and then press the TARE button to re-
zero the force sensor before data is taken for each trial. (DO NOT use the
calibration function in Data Studio, unless the following test fails: Create a table of
Forces and then start data collection. With zero mass on the force meter, read the Force.
Then add a mass and read the force. If the Force measured does not agree with the
expected value of the force, then you will have to calibrate the Force meter (See
Newtons 2nd Law lab). Notice the sign (+ or -) of the force and understand it.)

2004 Penn State University Physics 211R: Lab Work - Kinetic Energy Theorem
 b) Change Sampling Options so that Periodic Samples = 50 Hz. Change the motion
detectors Trigger Rate so that it is also 50 Hz.

4) To measure work and kinetic energy you will need Velocity vs Position Kinetic Energy vs Position
and Force vs Position graphs
a) Hint: To create a Velocity vs Position graph, create a Velocity vs Time graph, and then drag the
input icon for position data and drop it on the x-axis so that the graph plots Velocity vs. Position.
b) To get a Force vs Position graph, do a similar thing.
c) To graph Kinetic Energy vs. Position:
i) First open the Experiment Calculator (click on the calculate button) and define the calculation
for Kinetic Energy = mv2.
1. This calculation should be equal to (0.5*m*v*v). Remember that m should be
expressed in units of kilograms. In the variables menu, chose data
measurement for v and then select velocity.
ii) Click and drag Graph1 (under Displays) and drop it on the calculator icon (the kinetic energy
calculation under Data) in order to get a graph of KE vs position (remember to drag the
position input icon to the x-axis for this graph too, otherwise time is displayed).

5) Record data as the cart moves in one direction along the track while being pulled with a constant
force by the hanging mass. Be sure that the cart is released from rest. Be sure to record its starting
position and ending position relative to the motion detector. (Use the yellow measuring tape located on
the track.)

Results:

6) Highlight the region of the Force vs. Position graph over which the cart was being pulled along by the
hanging mass. (In other words, remove extraneous data from the integration calculation). Determine
and record the value of the Work done by the Force created by the hanging mass. Include the
appropriate sign and units.

a. Click the Statistics button to open the Statistics area of the graph. Select Area from the
Statistics Menu so that the area between the data and the x-axis will be calculated. Why are
you calculating the area of this curve?

b. Is the work done on the cart by the Force (due to the hanging mass) positive or negative?
Explain. (Remember that the sign of the Force and distance on DataStudio are not necessarily
the same as the real sign of the force and displacement of the cart).

7) Click the Statistics button to open the statistics area of the Kinetic Energy vs. Position graph. Set up
this area to display the maximum and minimum values of your data. Use this to determine the Change
in the Kinetic Energy (KE) of the cart between the initial and final positions from the KE graph.

8) Copy each graph (including the statistics information) into the template by clicking on the Display
menu and selecting Export Picture. In the template use Paste Special. Paste each as if it were a
picture.

9) By what % does the Work done by the hanging mass differ from the KE of the cart? (Show your
| W KE |
calculation.) (%difference= )
bigger _ of (W orKE )

10) Recall that the Work Kinetic Energy Theorem (W = KE) implies that W refers to the total
work done on the cart, not the work done by any particular individual force. Considering all of the

2004 Penn State University Physics 211R: Lab Work - Kinetic Energy Theorem
 forces acting on the cart, why is it reasonable to assume that the work done by the hanging mass is the
total work done on the cart? Explain what might account for the % difference calculated above.

Lab Activity 2: Work Done by a Non-Constant Force (ex. a spring)

The purpose of this activity is to calculate the change in kinetic energy and the work done by a spring
and determine if they agree.

Experiment and Data:

1. Unhook the hanging mass from the cart and put the string, hanger, and masses away. Carefully hook a
spring to the force probe. Do NOT, at any time during the lab, over-stretch this spring!

2. Flip the pulley up-side-down and attach it to the track use the screw to attach to the other side of the
spring. Hold the cart at rest in front of the motion detector while carefully stretching the spring a short
distance down the track away from the motion detector. Keep the far end of the spring stationary
throughout the entire collection of data.

3. Press Record and gather data as the cart moves in one direction along the track while being pulled by
the spring. Be sure that the cart is released from rest. Make note of its starting position and ending
position relative to the motion detector. Copy each graph (including the statistics information) into the
template.

Results:
4. Using the same methods as in activity 1, determine the KE of the cart over this region, and the Work
done by the spring. Include the appropriate sign and units.

5. By what % does the work done by the spring differ from the KE of the cart? (Show your calculation.)

6. Recall that the Work Kinetic Energy Theorem (W = KE) implies that W refers to the total
work done on the cart, not the work done by any particular individual force. Why is it reasonable to
assume that the work done by the spring is the total work done on the cart? Explain what might
account for the % difference calculated above.

Lab Activity 3: Analyzing the Work Done by a Spring using Hookes Law
The purpose of this activity is to calculate the Work done using the equation for Work done by a spring

W spring
= 12 k ( si ) 2 12 k ( s f ) 2
and compare it to your previous calculations of the area under the Force-position curve and KE.

Calculations:
1. Using the Force vs displacement graph from Activity 2, determine the spring constant, k, of the spring
used above in SI units. Explain how you obtained your answer.

2004 Penn State University Physics 211R: Lab Work - Kinetic Energy Theorem
2. Hookes Law defines a position variable, s, the stretch/compression of the spring as the position of
the end of the spring measured from the springs rest position (call the rest position xo the
distance from the motion sensor to the resting mass). Explain how this variable differs from the
position data taken by the motion detector (call that x meas). Explain how the position data taken by the
motion detector could be altered to determine the position of the spring described by Hookes Law.
Write a simple formula for s in terms of the positions measured by the motion detector (x meas). (It helps
to draw a picture).

3. Calculate the work done by the spring using the Wspring, and compare this value to the KE of the cart
by calculating the % difference between Wspring and KE of the cart.

Results: (What did you find out?)

4. Which method of calculating the work done by the spring gives a more correct measure of KE (that
in Activity 2, or Activity 3)? Support your answer.

2004 Penn State University Physics 211R: Lab Work - Kinetic Energy Theorem