Work

and
Energy

The Work of a Force

A force F does work on a
particle only when the
particle undergoes a
displacement in the
direction of the force.
Consider the force acting on
the particle
If the particle moves along
the path from position r to
new position r (= r+dr),
displacement dr = r r

The Work of a Force

ds is the magnitude of dr
is the angle between
tails of dr and F
Work dU done by F is a
scalar quantity
dU = F ds cos
dU = Fdr

Resultant interpreted in two ways

1. Product of F and the component of displacement
in the direction of the force ds cos
2. Product of ds and component of force in the
direction of the displacement F cos

The Work of a Force

If 0 < < 90, the
work is positive
If 90 < < 180, the
work is negative
dU = 0 if = 90 , or
displacement = 0

Basic unit for work in SI units is joule (J)

1 joule of work is done when a force of 1 Newton
moves 1 meter along its line of action
1J = 1N.m

The Work of a Force

Work of a Variable Force.
If the particle undergoes a
finite displacement along its
path from r1 to r2 or s1 to s2,
the work is determined by
integration.
If F is expressed as a
function of position, F = F(s),
r2
s2
U 1 2
F .d r
r
s

F cos ds

The Work of a Force

r2

s2

r1

s1

U1 2 F.dr F cos ds

The work can be interpreted as the area under

the curve from position s1 to position s2

The Work of a Force

Work of a Constant Force Moving Along a
Straight Line.
s2

U1 2 Fc cos ds
s1

Fc cos ( s2 s1 )

The work of Fc
represents the
area of the
rectangle

The Work of a Force

Work of a Weight.
Force W = -Wj
Displacement
dr = dxi +dyj + dzk.

U12 F .dr

r2

r1

(Wj ).(dxi dyj dzk )

y2

Wdy W ( y2 y1 )
y1

U12 Wy

Independent of the path

The Work of a Force

Work of a Spring Force.
Force on a linear elastic
spring
Fs = ks.
k: the spring stiffness
s: distance from its
unstretched position
If the spring is elongated or compressed from a
position s1 to s2, the work done on spring by Fs is
always positive, since force and displacement are
in the same direction.

The Work of a Force

s2

s2

s1

s1

U1 2 Fs ds ks ds
1 2 1 2
ks2 ks1
2
2
1
k ( s22 s12 )
2

This equation
represents the
trapezoidal area
under the line
Fs = ks

Example 1
The 10-kg block rest on a smooth incline. If the
spring is originally stretched 0.5 m, determine the
total work done by all forces acting on the block
when a horizontal force P = 400 N pushes the
block up the plane s = 2 m.

Example 1
s
Free Body Diagram
Horizontal Force P.
Spring Force Fs.
Weight W.
Normal Force NB.

Example 1

Example 1
s

Principle of Work and Energy

Principle of work and energy for the particle,
1 2 1 2
U12 2 mv2 2 mv1 T2 T1
or
T1 U1 2 T2

U1-2: the sum of work done by all the forces

acting on the particle as the particle moves from
point 1 to point 2
T1: the particles initial kinetic energy.
T2: the particles final kinetic energy.

Principle of Work and Energy

For the particle P moving
in the tangential direction,
Ft = mat
Using ads = vdv and
integrating over ds

s2
1

v2

Ft ds mv dv
v1

1 2 1 2
mv2 mv1
2
2

Kinetic Energy of a particle

1 2
T mv
2

POWER AND EFFICIENCY

Engines and motors are often rated
in terms of their power output. The
power requirements of the motor
lifting this elevator depend on the
vertical force F that acts on the
elevator, causing it to move
upwards.

Given the desired lift velocity for the elevator,

how can we determine the power requirement of
the motor?

APPLICATIONS
The speed at which a vehicle
can climb a hill depends in
part on the power output of
the engine and the angle of
inclination of the hill.
For a given angle, how can we determine the
speed of this jeep, knowing the power transmitted
by the engine to the wheels?

POWER
Power is defined as the amount of work performed
per unit of time.
If a machine or engine performs a certain amount of
work, dU, within a given time interval, dt, the
power generated can be calculated as
P = dU/dt
Since the work can be expressed as dU = F dr, the
power can be written
P = dU/dt = (F dr)/dt = F (dr/dt) = F v
Thus, power is a scalar defined as the product of the
force and velocity components acting in the same
direction.

POWER
Using scalar notation, power can be written
P = F v = F v cos
where is the angle between the force and velocity
vectors.
So if the velocity of a body acted on by a force F is
known, the power can be determined by calculating
the dot product or by multiplying force and velocity
components.
The unit of power in the SI system is the watt
(W) where
1 W = 1 J/s = 1 (N m)/s .

EFFICIENCY
The mechanical efficiency of a machine is the ratio of the
useful power produced (output power) to the power
supplied to the machine (input power) or
= (power output)/(power input)
If energy input and removal occur at the same time,
efficiency may also be expressed in terms of the ratio of
output energy to input energy or
= (energy output)/(energy input)
Machines will always have frictional forces. Since
frictional forces dissipate energy, additional power will be
required to overcome these forces. Consequently, the
efficiency of a machine is always less than 1.

PROCEDURE FOR ANALYSIS

Work (Free-Body Diagram)
Establish the initial coordinate system and draw a
FBD of the particle to account for all the forces that
do work on the particle as it moves along its path
Principle of Work and Energy
Apply the principle of work and energy
T1 U1 2 T2

The kinetic energy at the initial and final points is

always positive since it involves the speed squared

PROCEDURE FOR ANALYSIS

A force does work when it moves through a
displacement in the direction of the force
Work is always positive when the force component
is in the same direction as its displacement,
otherwise, it is negative
Forces that are functions of displacement must be
integrated to obtain the work
Graphically, the work is equal to the area under
the force-displacement curve

PROCEDURE FOR ANALYSIS

The work of a weight is the product of the weight
magnitude and the vertical displacement
It is positive when the weight moves downwards
The work of the spring is in the form of
1 2
U s ks
2
where k is the spring stiffness and s is the stretch
or compression of the spring

Example 2
The 17.5-kN automobile is traveling down the 10
inclined road at a speed of 6 m/s. If the driver jams
on the brakes, causing his wheels to lock,
determine the distance s his tires skid on the road.
The coefficient of the kinetic friction between the
wheels and the road is k = 0.5

Example 2

Example 2

Example 3
The platform P is tied down
so that the 0.4-m long cords
keep a 1-m long spring
compressed 0.6-m when
nothing is on the platform
(Fig. a). If a 2-kg block is
placed on the platform and
released from rest after the
platform is pushed down
0.1-m (Fig. b), determine
the max height h the block
rises in the air, measure
from the ground.

Example 3
Work (Free-Body Diagram).
The initial and final velocities are zero.
The weight does negative work and the spring force
does positive work.

Example 3

Work Done by Particular Forces

- From Fig below, we can write the weight of an
object at a distance r from the center of the
earth in terms of polar coordinates.

mgRE2
r

er

Work Done by Particular Forces

- Using the expression for the velocity in terms
of polar coordinates:
d
dr
dr e r r
e dt dr e r r d e
dt
dt

So the dot product of F and dr is:

mgRE2
F dr 2 er dr er r d e
r

mgRE2
r

dr

Work Done by Particular Forces

Thus the work reduces to an integral w.r.t. r:

U 12

r2

r1

mgR E2
dr
F dr
2
r1
r
1
2 1
mgR E
r2 r1
r2

Conservative Forces and Potential Energy

Pumped-storage hydropower plant

Conservative Forces and Potential Energy

Conservative Force.
It is defined by the work
done in moving a particle
from one point to another
that is independent of the
path followed by the particle.

datum

Potential Energy. (capacity of an object to do work)

It is the measure of the amount of work a
conservative force will do when it moves from a
given position to the datum.

Conservative Forces and Potential Energy

Vg=+Wh

Gravitational Potential
Energy.
A datum is arbitrarily
selected as a
reference level.
If y is positive upward,
gravitational potential
energy of the particle
of weight W is
Vg = +Wy

+h

-h
Vg= - Wh

At the datum Vg = 0.
Above the datum Vg > 0.
below the datum Vg < 0

Conservative Forces and Potential Energy

Elastic Potential Energy
When an elastic spring
with stiffness k is
elongated or compressed
a distance s from its
unstretched position,
s

1 2
Ve kxdx kx
0
2
0
s

1 2
ks
2
Ve is always positive

Conservative Forces and Potential Energy

Potential Function.
If a particle is subjected to
both gravitational and
elastic forces, the particles
potential energy can be
expressed as a potential
function
V Vg Ve
1 2
Wy ks
2

Conservative of Energy
Work done by conservative forces written in
terms of the difference in their potential energies

U12 cons. V1 V2
Work done by non-conservative forces
(U12 ) noncons.

The principle of work and energy can be written as

T1 V1 (U1 2 ) noncons. T2 V2

Conservative of Energy
If only conservative forces are applied, we have
the law of the conservation of mechanical energy
T1 V1 T2 V2

It is used to solve problem involving velocity,

displacement and conservative force systems.

PROCEDURE FOR ANALYSIS

Potential Energy.
Draw two diagrams showing the particle located at
its initial and final points along the path
If the particle is subjected to a vertical
displacement, establish the fixed horizontal datum.
Determine the elevation y of the particle from the
datum and the extension or compression s of any
connecting springs
Gravitational potential energy Vg = Wy
1
Elastic potential energy Ve ks 2
2

PROCEDURE FOR ANALYSIS

Conservation of Energy
Apply the equation

T1 V1 T2 V2
1 2
When determining the kinetic energy, T 2 mv
the particles speed v must always be measured
from an inertial reference frame.

Example 4
The gantry structure is used to test the response of
an airplane during a crash. The plane of mass 8Mg is hoisted back until = 60, and then pull-back
cable AC is released when the plane is at rest.
Determine the speed of the plane just before
crashing into the ground, = 15. Also, what is the
maximum tension developed in the supporting
cable during the motion?

Example 4

60
15

8-Mg

Potential Energy.
For convenience, the datum has been established
at the top of the gantry.

Example 4

Example 4

Example 5
The ram R has a mass of
100-kg and is released from
rest 0.75-m from the top of a
spring, A, that has a stiffness
kA = 12 kN/m. If a second
spring B, having a stiffness kB
= 15 kN/m is nested in A,
determine the max
displacement of A needed to
stop the downward motion of
the ram.

Example 5
Potential Energy.
The datum is located through
the center of gravity of the
ram at its initial position.
Assume that the ram
compresses both springs at
the instant it comes to rest
(v2 = 0).
A is compressed by sA
B by sB = sA 0.1 m

Example 5

Example 5