Chapter 4

Work , Power and Energy

Contents of Chapter 6
Work
Power
Energy

6-1 Work Done by a Constant

Force
The work done by a constant force is defined as
the distance moved multiplied by the component
(6-1)
of the force in the direction of displacement:

Work Done by a Constant Force

In the SI system, the units of work are
joules:
1 J = 1 N m

As long as this person does not lift

or lower the bag of groceries, he is
doing no work on it. The force he exerts
has no component in the direction of
motion.

Work Done by a Constant

Force
Solving work problems:
1. Draw a free-body diagram.
2. Choose a coordinate system.
3. Apply Newtons laws to determine any
unknown forces.
4. Find the work done by a specific force.
5. To find the net work, either find the net
force and then find the work it does, or find
the work done by each force and add.

Example 1
Work done on a crate. A person
pulls a 50kg crate 40m along a
horizontal floor by a constant force of
100N which acts at a 37 angle as
shown in Figure. The floor is rough
and exerts a friction force of 50N.
Determine (a) the work done by each
force acting on the crate and (3200 J
& -2000J) (b) the net work done on
the crate. (1200 J)

Example 2
An Eskimo returning from a fishing trip pulls a sled
loaded with salmon. The total mass of sled + salmon
is 50kg and the Eskimo exerts a force of magnitude
120 N on the sled by pulling on the rope.
a) How much work does he do on the sled if the rope
is horizontal and he pulls the sled 5 m? (600 J)
b) How much work does he do on the sled if =30
and he pulled the sled the same distance?( 520 J)

Work Done by a Constant

Force
Work done by forces that
oppose the direction of
motion, such as friction,
will be negative.
Centripetal forces do no
work, as they are always
perpendicular
to
the
direction of motion.

Work Done by a Varying

Force
For a force that varies, the work can be
approximated by dividing the distance up
into small pieces, finding the work done
during each, and adding them up. As the
pieces become very narrow, the work
done is the area under the force vs.
distance curve.

Example 3
The force acting on a particle varies as in Figure.
Find the work done by the force as the particle
moves (a) from x=0 to x=8.0 m, (b) from x=8.0 m
to x=10 m and (c) from x=0 to x=10 m.

Kinetic Energy and the

Work-Energy Principle
Energy was traditionally defined as the
ability to do work. We now know that
not all forces are able to do work;
however, we are dealing in these
chapters with mechanical energy, which
does follow this definition.

Kinetic Energy and the

Work-Energy Principle
If we write the acceleration in terms of
the velocity and the distance, we find
that the work done here is
(6-2)

We define the kinetic energy:

(6-3)

Kinetic Energy and the

Work-Energy Principle
This means that the work done is equal
to the change in the kinetic energy:
(6-4)

If the net work is positive, the kinetic

energy increases.
If the net work is negative, the kinetic
energy decreases.

Kinetic Energy and the

Work-Energy Principle
Because work and kinetic energy can be
equated, they must have the same units:
kinetic energy is measured in joules.

Example 4
Work on a car, to increase its KE. How
much net work is required to accelerate a
1000kg car from 20 m/s to 30 m/s? (2.5 x
10^5J)

Example 5
The driver of a 1000kg car traveling on the
interstate at 35m/s slams on his brakes to avoid
hitting a second vehicle in front of him, which
had come to rest because of congestion ahead.
After the brakes are applied, a constant kinetic
friction of magnitude 8000 N acts on the car.
Ignore air resistance. (a) At what minimum
distance should the brakes be applied to avoid a
collision with the other vehicle? (b) If the
distance between the vehicle is initially only 30
m, at what speed would the collision occur?

Potential Energy
An object can have potential energy by
virtue of its surroundings.
Familiar examples of potential energy:
A wound-up spring
A stretched elastic band
An object at some height above the
ground

Potential Energy
In raising a mass m to a
height h, the work done by
the external force is
(6-5a)

We

therefore define the

gravitational
potential
energy:
(6-6)

Potential Energy
Gravity is also acting on the object as it moves
from y1 to y2, and does work on the object equal
to
Wg =Fg d cos =mgh cos 180
where =180 because Fg and d point in the
opposite directions. So
Wg = -mgh =-mg (y2-y1)=-PE
* A more direct way to define the change in
gravitational potential energy,is that it is equal to
the negative of the work done by gravity itself.

Potential Energy
This potential energy can become
kinetic energy if the object is dropped.

If PEG = mgy, where do we measure y

from?

It turns out not to matter, as long as we

are consistent about where we choose y
= 0. Only changes in potential energy
can be measured.

Example 6
Potential energy changes for a roller coaster. A
1000 kg roller coaster car moves from point 1,
to point 2 and then to point 3. (a) What is the
gravitational potential energy at 2 and 3
relative to point 1? That is, take y=0 at point 1.
(9.8 x 10^4J,-1.5x10^5J) (b) What is the change
in potential energy when the car goes from
point 2 to point 3? (-2.5x1065J) (c) Repeat parts
(a) and (b), but take the reference point (y=0)
to be at point 3. (1.5x10^5J,2.5x10^5J,2.5x10^5J)

Potential Energy
Potential energy can also be stored in a
spring when it is compressed; the figure
below shows potential energy yielding
kinetic energy.

Potential Energy
The force required to
compress or stretch a spring
is:
(6-8)
where k is called the spring
constant, and needs to be
measured for each spring.

Potential Energy
The force increases as the spring is
stretched or compressed further. We
find that the potential energy of the
compressed or stretched spring,
measured from its equilibrium
(6-9) position,
can be written:

Conservative and Nonconservative Forces

If friction is present, the
work done depends not only
on the starting and ending
points, but also on the path
taken. Friction is called a
non-conservative force.
Non-conservative force:
-work done depends on the
path
Conservative force:
-work done does not depend
On the path taken but only
On the initial & final position

Conservative and Nonconservative Forces

Potential energy can
only be defined for
conservative forces.

Conservative and Nonconservative Forces

Therefore, we distinguish between the
work done by conservative forces and
the work done by non-conservative
forces.

We find that the work done by nonconservative forces is equal to the total
change in kinetic and potential
(6-10)
energies:

Mechanical Energy and

Its Conservation
If there are no non-conservative forces, the
sum of the changes in the kinetic energy and
in the potential energy is zerothe kinetic
and potential energy changes are equal but
opposite in sign.

This allows us to define the total mechanical

energy:
E = KE + PE
And its conservation:
(6-12b)

Problem Solving Using Conservation

of Mechanical Energy
In the image on the left, the total
mechanical energy is:
E = KE + PE = mv2 + mgy
The energy buckets on the right of
the figure show how the energy
moves from all potential to all
kinetic.

Example 7
Falling rock. If the original height of the rock in
Figure is 3.0 m, calculate the rocks speed when is
has fallen to 1.0 m above the ground. (6.3 m/s)

Problem Solving Using

Conservation of Mechanical Energy
If there is no friction, the speed of a roller coaster will
depend only on its height compared to its starting height.

Example 8
Roller coaster speed using energy conservation. Assuming
the height of the hill in Figure is 40 m, and the roller
coaster car starts from rest at the top, calculate (a) the
speed of the roller coaster car at the bottom of the hill,
(28m/s) and (b) at what height it will have half this speed.
Take y=0 at the bottom of the hill.(30m)

Other Forms of Energy

and Energy Transformations;
the Law of Conservation of Energy
Some other forms of energy:
Electric energy, nuclear energy, thermal
energy, chemical energy.
Work is done when energy is transferred
from one object to another.
Accounting for all forms of energy, we find
that the total energy neither increases nor
decreases. Energy as a whole is conserved.

Energy Conservation with Dissipative

Processes; Solving Problems

If there is a non-conservative force such as friction,

where do the kinetic and potential energies go?

They become heat; the actual temperature rise of

the materials involved can be calculated.

Energy Conservation with Dissipative

Processes; Solving Problems
Problem solving:
1. Draw a picture.
2. Determine the system for which energy will
be conserved.
3. Figure out what you are looking for, and
decide on the initial and final positions.
4. Choose a logical reference frame.
5. Apply conservation of energy.
6. Solve.

Example 9
Friction on the roller coaster. The roller coaster
car in Example 8 reaches a vertical height of only
25 m on the second hill before coming to a
momentary stop. It traveled a total distance of
400m. Estimate the average friction force (assume
constant) on the car whose mass is 1000kg.(370N)

Power
Power is the rate at which work is
done
(6-17)

In the SI system, the units of power

are watts:1W = 1 J/s
The difference between walking
and running up these stairs is
powerthe change in gravitational
potential energy is the same.

Power
Power is also needed for acceleration and for moving against
the force of gravity.

The average power can be written in terms of the force and the
average velocity:
(6-18)

Example 10
Stair-climbing power. A 60 kg jogger runs up a
long flight of stairs in 4.0 s. The vertical height of
the stairs is 4.5m. (a) Estimate the joggers power
output in Watts (660 W) (b) How much energy did
this require? (2600 J)

Summary of Chapter 4
Work: W = Fd cos
Kinetic energy is energy of motion: KE = mv2
Potential energy is energy associated with forces
that depend on the position or configuration of
objects.
The net work done on an object equals the
change in its kinetic energy.
If only conservative forces are acting, mechanical
energy is conserved.
Power is the rate at which work is done.