111Equation Chapter 1 Section 1193 - 08-06 - reading a potential energy curve 38-41: in which we solve

problems 8.38-8.41.

•• chapter 8, problem 38 (9th ed.) •• chapter 8, problem 38 (10th ed.): Consider a plot of potential energy U
versus position x of a m  0.200kg particle that can travel only along an x-axis under the influence of a
U A  9.00 J U C  20.00 J U  24.00 J
conservative force. The graph has these values: , and D . The particle is
U  12.00 J , with kinetic energy
released at the point where U forms a “potential hill” of “height” B
K B  4.00 J . What is the speed of the particle at (a) x A  3.5m and (b) x0  6.5m ? What is the position of the
turning point on (c) the right side and (d) the left side?

Solution: In this problem, the mechanical energy (the sum of K and U) remains constant as the particle moves.

(a) using conservation of energy, E A  EB in which E A  K A  U A and EB  K B  U B , in which K B  4.00 J ,

U A  9.00 J , and U B  12.00 J , we can calculate the velocity at point-A, v A , due to K A  12 mvA 2 ,

mvA2 2K A 2(U B  U A  K B ) 2(12.0 J  9.00 J  4.00 J) m

KA   vA     8.37 ;
2 m m 0.200kg s 212\*
MERGEFORMAT (.)

(b) repeating the same procedure as part-a, except using E0  EB , in which U 0  0 and K 0  2 mv0 ,
1 2

2K0 2(U B  K B ) 2(12.0  4.00) J m

v0     12.6 ;
m m 0.200 kg s
313\* MERGEFORMAT
(.)

(c) Turning points are where the total energy equals potential energy (equivalent to having zero velocity). We
calculate the total energy of the system is E  EB  K B  U B  16.0 J  K 0 . The potential energies with such a
height must be determined by interpolation. Graphically, this interpolation appears as,
 414\*
MERGEFORMAT (.)

Algebraically, this interpolation is,

E  UC U A  E 16.00 J  20.00 J 9.00 J  16.00 J solve for xL E ( x A  xC )  U A xC  U C x A
    xL   1.73 m ;
xL  xC x A  xL xL  1.00 m 3.00 m  xL U A UC
515\* MERGEFORMAT (.)
E U0 UD  E 16.00 J  0 24.00 J  16.00 J solve for xR E ( x0  xD )  U D x0  U 0 xD
    xR   7.67 m ;
xR  x0 xD  xR xR  7.00 m 8.00 m  xR U0 U D
616\* MERGEFORMAT (.)

At x  6.5 m, U  0 and
K  U B  K B  12.0 J  4.00 J  16.0 J by mechanical energy conservation. Therefore,
the speed at this point is

(c) At the turning point, the speed of the particle is zero. Let
x .
the position of the right turning point be R From the figure
x
shown on the right, we find R to be

(d) Let the position of the left turning point be

xL . From the
x
figure shown, we find L to be

16.00 J  20.00 J 9.00 J  16.00 J

  xL  1.73 m.
xL  1.00 m 3.00 m  xL
 e 717\* MERGEFORMAT (.)

•• chapter 8, problem 39 (|| 8.38): Figure 8-48

shows a plot of potential energy U versus position x
of a 0.90 kg particle that can travel only along an x
axis. (Non-conservative forces are not involved.)
Three values are U A  15.0 J , U B  35.0 J , and
U C  45.0 J . The particle is released at x = 4.5 m
with an initial speed of 7.0 m/s, headed in the
negative x direction. (a) If the particle can reach x
= 1.0 m, what is its speed there, and if it cannot,
what is its turning point? What are the (b)
magnitude and (c) direction of the force on the
particle as it begins to move to the left of x = 4.0
m? Suppose, instead, the particle is headed in the
positive x-direction when it is released at x = 4.5 m
at speed 7.0 m/s. (d) If the particle can reach x =
7.0 m, what is its speed there, and if it cannot, what
is its turning point? What are the (e) magnitude and
(f ) direction of the force on the particle as it be-
gins to move to the right of x = 5.0 m?
Solution: From the figure, we see that at x = 4.5 m, the potential energy is U1 = 15 J. If the speed is v = 7.0 m/s,
then the kinetic energy is
K1 = mv2/2 = (0.90 kg)(7.0 m/s)2/2 = 22 J.

The total energy is E1 = U 1+ K1 = (15 + 22) J = 37 J.

(a) At x = 1.0 m, the potential energy is U2 = 35 J. By energy conservation, we have K2 = 2.0 J > 0. This means
that the particle can reach there with a corresponding speed
2K 2 2(2.0 J)
v2    2.1 m/s.
m 0.90 kg

(b) The force acting on the particle is related to the potential energy by the negative of the slope:
U
Fx  
x

35 J  15 J
Fx    10 N
From the figure we have 2 m4 m .

(c) Since the magnitude Fx  0 , the force points in the +x direction.

(d) At x = 7.0 m, the potential energy is U3 = 45 J, which exceeds the initial total energy E1. Thus, the particle
can never reach there. At the turning point, the kinetic energy is zero. Between x = 5 and 6 m, the potential
energy is given by

U ( x)  15  30( x  5), 5  x  6.

Thus, the turning point is found by solving 37  15  30( x  5) , which yields x = 5.7 m.

(e) At x = 5.0 m, the force acting on the particle is

U (45  15) J
Fx      30 N
x (6  5) m .
The magnitude is | Fx | 30 N .

(f) The fact that Fx  0 indicated that the force points in the –x direction.
•• chapter 8, problem 40 (|| 8.41): The potential energy of a diatomic molecule (a two-atom system like H2 or
12 6
O2) is given by U  Ar  Br , where r is the separation of the two atoms of the molecule and A and Bare
positive constants. This potential energy is associated with the force that binds the two atoms together. (a) Find
the equilibrium separation— that is, the distance between the atoms at which the force on each atom is zero. Is
the force repulsive (the atoms are pushed apart) or attractive (they are pulled together) if their separation is (b)
smaller and (c) larger than the equilibrium separation? Solution: (a) The force at the equilibrium position r =
req is

dU 12 A 6 B
F  0    0
dr r  req req13 req7

which leads to the result

F2 AI . F
1

 G J  112
AI
1

HB K HB JK.
G
6 6

req

(b) This defines a minimum in the potential energy curve (as can be verified either by a graph or by taking
another derivative and verifying that it is concave upward at this point), which means that for values of r
slightly smaller than req the slope of the curve is negative (so the force is positive, repulsive).

(c) And for values of r slightly larger than req the slope of the curve must be positive (so the force is negative,
attractive).

••• chapter 8, problem 41 (|| 8.40): A single conservative force F(x) acts on a 1.0 kg particle that moves along
 x
an x axis. The potential energy U(x) associated with F(x) is given by U ( x)    xe where x is in meters,
  14 m 1 , and   4N . At x = 5.0 m the particle has a kinetic energy of 2.0 J. (a) What is the mechanical
energy of the system? (b) Make a plot of U(x) as a function of x for 0  x  10m , and on the same graph draw
the line that represents the mechanical energy of the system. Use part (b) to determine (c) the least value of x
the particle can reach and (d) the greatest value of x the particle can reach. Use part (b) to determine (e) the
maximum kinetic energy of the particle and (f ) the value of x at which it occurs. (g) Determine an expression in
newtons and meters for F(x) as a function of x. (h) For what (finite) value of x does F(x) = 0? Solution: (a) The
(mechanical) energy at x = 5.0 m is,
x  2.0 m
 14 m1 (2.0 m )
E ( x )  K ( x)  U ( x)  K ( x)   xe  x  (2.0 J )  (4 N )(2.0m)e  (2.0 J )  (5.7 J )  3.7 J ; 818\*
MERGEFORMAT (.)

(b) A plot of the potential energy curve (SI units understood) and the energy E (the horizontal line) is shown for
0  x  10 m. Because E is constant, we find that K ( x)  E  U ( x ) , and we can plot that too,
  
E,U x ,K x
2

x
2 4 6 8 10

2
E

U x

K x
 
4

6
919\*
MERGEFORMAT (.)

(c) and (d) The lowest and highest x reachable by the particle are obviously where its kinetic energy is zero
(good thing we plotted it, even so we didn’t have to! It’s always useful to “solve extra” of a problem, because
sometimes it’s easier to answer a question of your own designing rather than someone else’s). This is obviously
at x  1.25m and x  9.2m (or, where the red-dashed-curve passes through zero).

(e) One can either use calculus, or read off the maximum value of the kinetic energy curve shown in Error:
Reference source not found (man, it’s so awesome that we graphed it—made our lives easier!). We use the
 
former to check the latter. Using the product rule ( dx ( fg )  f g  fg ), and the chain rule (
d

d
dx e  x  e  x d
dx ( x)   e x ), we have,
dK ( x) d
K ( x)  E  U ( x)  E    xe  x  0 
dx

dx
 E   xe  x   
 0   1x11e  x*  x*e  x* ( ) ;
x  x* x  x*

10110\* MERGEFORMAT (.)

Solving Error: Reference source not found for x* , we immediately get x*    4.0m ; indeed, this is
1

corroborated by the plot Error: Reference source not found; kinetic energy evaluated at this x*    4.0m
1

yields,
 1 4N
K ( x* )  E   x*e  x*  E  e  3.7 J  1 1 0.368   3.7 J  5.89 N  m   2.19 J ;
 4m 11111\*
MERGEFORMAT (.)

(f) As mentioned in the previous part, the minimum of the U curve occurs at x  x*    4.0m .
1
(g) The force implied by a potential energy is given by following the exact same machinations as in Error:
Reference source not found in the formula I gave in class,
 dU ˆ dU ˆ dU ˆ dU ˆ d
F  i j k  i  0  0  iˆ   xe  x   iˆ  1   x  e  x  iˆ   x  1 e  x ;
dx dy dz dx dx
12112\* MERGEFORMAT (.)

Notice that both sides of Error: Reference source not found are vectors: I illustrated it that way (in contrast to
the solution manual) to avoid confusing you.

(h) We have already done this in Error: Reference source not found: x*    4.0m .
1

d d
 f  45  vx  v y    v; but also: v y  gt  v;
t 2h / g
d g
v  [speed it was thrown]  vx 2  v y 2  v 2  v 2  2v  2 d
2h / g h
eliminate d, using "no time formula, v 2 =v 0 2 +2ad", and also t= 2h
g : d=vt= 2 gh  2h / g  2h
g
 v  2h  2 gh
h

2. A 25-kg chair is pushed across a frictionless horizontal floor with a force of 20N, directed 20 degrees below
the horizontal. The acceleration of the chair is...?

ax 
F x

F cos 20 (20 N ) cos 20

m m 25kg

3. Two blocks (X and Y) are in contact on a horizontal frictionless surface. Block X is 4.0 kg and Y is 20 kg. A
36N constant force is applied to X as shown. (It is a horizontal force parallel to the floor). The force exerted by
X on Y is...?

This is a somewhat subtle question. Use Newton’s 2nd and 3rd laws for each block,
3rd law F 36 N m
 X X X
F  m a  F  FYX ;  Y Y Y XY   FYX ; a X  aY  a  m  m  4.0  20kg  1.5 s 2 ;
F  m a  F
X Y

 m
 FXY  mY aY   20kg  1.5 2   30 N
 s 

Last question: since there is no friction, the maximum force is also the only force that can be applied parallel to
the plane without moving the crate,
F  Fmax  Fonly   Fx , N  mg sin   (5.0kg )(9.81 sm2 )sin 30.0
Chapter 8, problem 41 alt: a single conservative force F(x) acts on a particle of mass m that moves along an x
x n  x / xE
U ( x)  U 0 (
) e sin( x / xS )
axis. The potential energy is given by x 0 , where x0 , xE , xS are constants. (a)
Compute the (vector) force at all points. (b) If the units of U are J, and x m, what are the units of x0 , xE , xS ?
0

dU ( x) d  x x 
F  F ( x)   xˆ   xˆ  U 0 ( ) n e  x / xE sin 
dx dx  x0 xS 
 nx n 1 x x e  x / xE x x cos xxS 
ˆ 0  n e  x / xE sin  ( ) n
  xU sin  ( ) n e  x / xE  ; [x0 , xE , xS ]  [length] ;
 x0 xS x0  xE xS x0 xS 
13113\*
MERGEFORMAT (.)

Chapter 8, Problem 41 SN: A single conservative force F(x) acts on a particle of mass m that moves along an
 Bx
x axis. The potential energy U(x) associated with F(x) is given by U ( x)  Axe , where x is in meters and A and
B are positive constants. (a) Determine a formula in newtons and meters for the force on the particle.
dU d
Fx      Axe  Bx    A  e  Bx  x ( B )e  Bx    A  1  Bx  e  Bx ;
dx dx 14114\*
MERGEFORMAT (.)

 Bx
(b) At what value of x does the force vanish? Fx  0   A(1  Bx)e  0  1  Bx  x  1/ B , where we
in going across the first  , since both are nonzero.
 Bx
divided both sides by –A and e