Energy. Work.

Power
Charles N. Asagra
Homapon High School
Statement

A teacher applies a force to a wall
and becomes exhausted.

A book falls off a table and free
falls to the ground.

A waiter carries a tray full of meals
above his head by one arm straight
across the room at constant speed.
(Careful! This is a very difficult
question that will be discussed in
more detail later.)

A rocket accelerates through space.

Statement
NO
A teacher applies a force to a wall and
becomes exhausted.

This is not an example of work. The
wall is not displaced. A force must
cause a displacement in order for work
to be done.
A book falls off a table and free falls to
the ground.

Yes.
This is an example of work. There is a
force (gravity) which acts on the book
which causes it to be displaced in a
downward direction (i.e., "fall").
Read the following five statements and determine
whether or not they represent examples of work.
A waiter carries a tray full of meals above
his head by one arm straight across the
room at constant speed. (Careful! This is
a very difficult question that will be
discussed in more detail later.)

No.
This is not an example of work. There is
a force (the waiter pushes up on the
tray) and there is a displacement (the
tray is moved horizontally across the
room). Yet the force does not cause the
displacement. To cause a displacement,
there must be a component of force in
the direction of the displacement.
A rocket accelerates through space.

Yes.
This is an example of work. There is a
force (the expelled gases push on the
rocket) which causes the rocket to be
displaced through space.

To Do Work, Forces
Must Cause Displacements


The Joule is the unit of work.

1 Joule = 1 Newton * 1 meter

1 J = 1 N * m

Scenario A: A force acts rightward upon an
object as it is displaced rightward. In such an
instance, the force vector and the
displacement vector are in the same direction.
Thus, the angle between F and d is 0 degrees.

Scenario B: A force acts leftward upon an
object that is displaced rightward. In such an
instance, the force vector and the
displacement vector are in the opposite
direction. Thus, the angle between F and d is
180 degrees.

Scenario C: A force acts upward on an object
as it is displaced rightward. In such an
instance, the force vector and the
displacement vector are at right angles to each
other. Thus, the angle between F and d is 90
degrees.
Apply the work equation to determine the amount of work
done by the applied force in each of the three situations
described below.
Diagram A Answer:
W = (100 N) * (5 m)* cos(0 degrees) = 500 J

The force and the displacement are given in
the problem statement. It is said (or shown or
implied) that the force and the displacement
are both rightward. Since F and d are in the
same direction, the angle is 0 degrees.

Diagram B Answer:
W = (100 N) * (5 m) * cos(30 degrees)
= 433 J
The force and the displacement are
given in theproblem statement. It is
said that the displacement is rightward.
It is shown that the force is 30 degrees
above the horizontal. Thus, the angle
between F and d is 30 degrees.


Diagram C Answer:
W = (147 N) * (5 m) * cos(0 degrees)
= 735 J
The displacement is
given in the problem
statement. The applied
force must be 147 N
since the 15-kg mass
(F
grav
=147 N) is lifted at constant speed. Since F and d are
in the same direction, the angle is 0 degrees.
Potential Energy


Potential energy is the
stored energy of position
possessed by an object.
Gravitational Potential Energy
Gravitational potential energy
is the energy stored in an
object as the result of its
vertical position or height.
E
grav
= mass g height

PE
grav
= m * g h

Use this principle to determine the blanks in the following
diagram. Knowing that the potential energy at the top of the
tall platform is 50 J, what is the potential energy at the other
positions shown on the stair steps and the incline?
A: PE = 40 J (since the same mass is
elevated to 4/5-ths height of the
top stair)
B: PE = 30 J (since the same mass is
elevated to 3/5-ths height of the
top stair)
C: PE = 20 J (since the same mass is
elevated to 2/5-ths height of the
top stair)
D: PE = 10 J (since the same mass is
elevated to 1/5-ths height of the
top stair)
E and F: PE = 0 J (since the same
mass is at the same zero height
position as shown for the bottom
stair).
Kinetic Energy


Kinetic energy is the energy of motion.
There are many forms of
kinetic energy - vibrational
(the energy due to vibrational
motion), rotational (the
energy due to rotational
motion), and translational
(the energy due to motion
from one location to another).
Determine the kinetic energy of a 625-kg roller
coaster car that is moving with a speed of 18.3 m/s.
KE = 1.05 x10
5
Joules
KE = 0.5*m*v
2
KE = (0.5) * (625 kg) * (18.3 m/s)
2

Missy Diwater, the former platform diver for the Ringling
Brother's Circus, had a kinetic energy of 12 000 J just prior
to hitting the bucket of water. If Missy's mass is 40 kg, then
what is her speed?
v = 24.5 m/s
KE = 0.5*m*v
2
12 000 J = (0.5) * (40 kg) * v
2

300 J = (0.5) * v
2

600 J = v
2

The energy acquired by the objects upon
which work is done is known as mechanical
energy.
Mechanical Energy
Mechanical Energy as the Ability to Do Work
The Total Mechanical Energy (TME)
TME = PE + KE
the rate at which a certain
amount of work is done
Power