6.

Work and Energy

Aeronautics & Mechanics
AENG11301
Department of Aerospace Engineering
University of Bristol

6.1 Basic concepts - 1

F=ma

Instantaneous equation of motion

For overall motion need to integrate

acceleration over the interval

Two integrated forms of the equation of motion available:

Integration w.r.t. displacement Work and Energy

Integration w.r.t. time Impulse and Momentum

6.2 Basic concepts - 2

Intrinsic coordinates

path

Consider a particle moving along the path

shown, and acted on by resultant force F.

Definition:

s
1

Fs

Infinitesimal work done by forces over path

length is:

Fn

Fs s

x
Fn DOES NO WORK
Total work done from 1 to 2:

F ds F

s2

s2

s1

sx

s1

dx Fs y dy

6.2 Basic concepts - 3

Note:
Work is + if the working component is in the direction of the
displacement; - if Fs is in opposite direction
Forces that do work are called active forces; those that do not
(constraint forces) are called reactive
Units: Nm or Joule (J) --> work done by a force of 1 N moving through a
distance of 1 m in the direction of the force
Work is a scalar quantity
Work equation applies with or without friction in the system
The work equation can be integrated analitically, numerically or
graphically

6.2 Basic concepts - 4

Consider now a particle of mass m:

Fs ma s m

dv
dv ds
dv
m
mv
dt
ds dt
ds

Integrating over space interval:

s2

s2

2
dv
s Fs ds s mv ds ds v mv dv
1
1
1

Kinetic energy of a particle

Units: Nm [J]
Scalar quantity
Always positive

U 1 2

1
T mv 2
2

1 2 1
mv 2 mv12
2
2
Kinetic energy of a particle:
total work that must be done
to bring the particle from rest
to velocity v

From definition U1-2:

U 1 2 T2 T1 T

WORK-ENERGY EQUATION
Total work done by all forces
during motion from condition
1 to condition 2 = change in
kinetic energy

6.3 Application satellite mechanics

Satellite of mass m is in an elliptical orbit around the earth. At point A, the distance
is h1 = 500 km with velocity v1 = 30 000 km/h.
Find velocity v2 at point B which is a distance h2 = 1200 km from earth.
Note:
Only force acting is gravitational
attraction

B
r2

mme
gR 2
F G 2 m 2
r
r

Earth

r1

r2

U 1 2 Fdr mgR
r1

Gm
F m 2 e ma
r
On the Earth surface (r=R):

Work done by F is due only to radial

component of motion along line of action
of F and is negative for increasing r

a=g

Gme gR 2

r2
2

dr
1
2 1

mgR

r r 2
r r
1
2
1

6.3 Application satellite mechanics

Using Work-Energy equation:

1 1
1
m v 22 v12
2
r2 r1

mgR 2

1 1

r2 r1

v 22 v12 2 gR 2

Back substituting the numerical values:

v2 = 7663 ms-1 = 27590 km/h

6.4 Potential Energy - 1

2 forms:
Gravitational energy
Elastic/strain energy

Gravitational potential energy

Work done by gravitational force

Component of mg in
direction of s:

h2

mg sin

mg

h1
Work done by mg over distance s is:

mg sin s mg h

Work done by mg from 1 to 2:

2

mg dh mgh

mgh2

6.4 Potential Energy - 2

The gravitational potential energy Vg is defined as the work done against the
gravitational field to elevate the particle a distance h above an arbitrary
reference plane where Vg is zero
Change in gravitational potential energy from h1 to h2 is:

V g mg h2 h1

This assumes constant gravitational force close proximity to earths surface

When g is variable:

mme G
mme G

r2
R h 2

Gravitational force

Work done over height h:

mme G

R h

r2

Work against gravity:

h R r r

mgR 2
1
2 1

dr

mgR

r r 2
r r Vg Vg 2 Vg1
1 2
1

Vg 2 0

for r2 inf

6.4 Potential Energy - 3

Elastic potential energy/strain energy
The work done in deforming an elastic body is stored in the body and it is called elastic
potential energy Ve
This energy is recoverable in the form of work done by the elastic body/spring on a body
attached to its movable end during release of the deformation.
For 1D linear elastic body (or spring) the force
supported (tension or compression) is:
x

Elastic potential energy

F kx

Ve kx dx
0

1 2
kx
2

Work done on body to deform

it by amount x

Positive if deformation increases, negative if deformation increases

F

Ve

x1

x2

1
k x 22 x12
2

6.5 Alternative Work-Energy Equation

Considering 1D spring + mass
Work done on the spring = (work done on the body by the
spring)

Work U done by the spring is - Ve

U 12 V g Ve T

Alternative Work-Energy equation

or

U1 2

Work done by all external

forces other than gravity and
elastic forces

U 12 V g Ve T

Work of gravitational and elastic forces is accounted via end-point positions

of particle and elastic deformation path followed between end points is
irrelevant

6.5 Alternative Work-Energy Equation

Alternative enunciation of Work-Energy equation:
Work done on system by all forces other than gravitational and elastic forces
= change in total mechanical energy of the system E

E T V g Ve

Total mechanical energy

If there are no other forces, other than reaction forces:

U 1 2 0

E 0 or

E const

Law of conservation
of dynamical energy

Take care when expressed in terms of mechanical energy only it applies only where there is no friction or dissipation, so that
changes depend only in the end states and not on the path or
process between

6.5 Other definitions

Power
The capacity of a machine to deliver energy is rated by its
power defined as time rate of doing work

dU d
ds
Fs F
Fv
dt
dt
dt

scalar quantity
units: Nm/s = J/s = W (watt)

Efficiency
Ratio of work done by a machine to the work done on the
machine in the same interval of time

Pout
Pin

6.6 Example
The particle starts from rest at A, sliding on a
bar (in blue). If the bar is smooth and the spring
has a free length of l0, calculate the speed of
the particle as a function of x.

Ans.
FBD of particle (no inertia)

First calculate the work of the forces.

N does no work since it is perpendicular to the path of the bar at all times.

6.6 Example
Fs k

cos

x 2 b 2 l0
x
x2 b2

6.6 Example