Exam 1 distribution

Problem 3
r
r
r
vB / S = vB / W + vW / S
vB/W
36
vB/S

vW/S

vW / S
sin 36 =
vB / W

vB/W

vB/S

vW/S

vW / S
tan =
vB / W

y = x tan = x sin 36

Problem 13

mg

mg N = ma
N = reading of the scale = 735 N
2

v
a=
R

N
N
m=
=
v2
g a g R

Problem 20

1
3
a(t ) = F (t ) = t
m

a = a(t )k

tf

v z , f v z ,i = a z (t )dt
ti
2

4 t =2

t
3
v z = t dt =
4
0

t =0

= 4 m/s

v = v +v =
2
x

2
z

= 3 +4 =5
2

Racquetball Striking a Wall

Work and
Kinetic Energy

Stewart Hall

General Physics I
Mechanics
Physics 140

Mt. Etna

What is Work?
In physics, work is a measure of how effective a
force is in moving things
Work depends on both the force and how far
something moved under the influence of that force
Work is a scalar
For a constant force F and a straight-line
displacement s, work is their scalar product:

r r
W = F s = Fs cos

SI unit of work is Joule:

1 J = 1 Nm = 1 kgm2/s2

Work
Depends on the component of the force parallel
to the displacement:

r r
W = F s = Fs cos = F|| s = Fs||
F

F
s

s||

F||

If components of both force and displacement are

known, can also compute work by components:

r r
W = F s = Fx x + Fy y + Fz z

Work
Depends on the component of the force parallel
to the displacement:

Force along displacement does positive work

Force against displacement does negative work
Force perpendicular to displacement does no
work

Uniform Circular Motion

A rock of mass m is twirled on a string in a
horizontal plane. The work W done by the
tension in the string on the rock is
A.
B.
C.
D.

W<0
W=0
W>0
More than one option above is possible

Uniform Circular Motion

In uniform circular
motion a force always
acts perpendicular to
the motion
It has no component
along the motion
This force does no
work!

W =0

r
v
r
F
r
v

r
F

r
F
r
F
r
v

r
v

A block slides along a level surface subject to the

forces shown. Which force does the largest work
on the block during the displacement x? The
magnitude of the forces is expressed by the length
of their arrows.
A. F1
B. F2
C. mg
D. N
E. Depends on mass

F1
N

F2

x
mg

Work depends only on the component

of force along the motion!

Lowering a book
Yuri lowers a book of mass m downward a
distance h at constant speed v. The work done
by the force of gravity is
A.
B.
C.
D.

Negative
Zero
Positive
Impossible to tell

Lowering a book
Yuri lowers a book of mass m downward a
distance h at constant speed v. The work done
by the force of Yuris hand is
A.
B.
C.
D.

Negative
Zero
Positive
Impossible to tell

Lowering a book
Yuri lowers a book of mass m downward a
distance h at constant speed v. The work done
by the total force acting on the book is
A.
B.
C.
D.

Negative
Zero
Positive
Impossible to tell

H
a=0
G

Wtot = WG + WH = 0

Work in General Situations

What if force is not constant and trajectory is not
a straight line?
Split the path into short displacements s
Find the force F acting on the body over each s
Find work W over each s by computing the
r r
scalar product:

W = F s = Fs cos

Sum the results to find the total work W of the

variable force over the curved path:

r r
W = F s = Fs cos

Work as Integral
If the force varies
over a general path,
add up many little
Fds pieces:

W =

r r
F ds

This integral means

exactly the same as
the sum:

r r
r r
W = F s = Fs cos F ds
W = F cos ds = Fx dx + Fy dy + Fz dz

Problem 6.34

(c):

A. 20 J

B. 40 J

C. 60 J

D. 80 J

E. 120 J

Position-Dependent Force in 1D
If displacement is along x
axis, only the x-component
of force Fx is relevant
If Fx varies with x, sum over
small displacements

W = F ax x a + F bx x b + L
In the limit of each x going
to zero, this sum becomes
an integral

W =

x2

x1

F x dx

Geometrically, work is the

area under the Fx(x) curve

Position-Dependent Force in 1D
An object is pushed by a variable force F plotted
below as a function of position x. How much work
has the force done on the object when it has
moved from x = 0 to x = + 6 m?

Force, F
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

0
2J
4J
6J
12 J

2N
+
_

-2 N

6m

Hookes Law
For a spring, the force arising as a result of
deformation is proportional to the deformation
If a spring is stretched or compressed from its
equilibrium length x0 by x = x x0, then the force
arising in the spring is given by the Hookes law:

Fx = kx
x

x0
F

Minus sign means that the force the spring exerts

is opposite to the length change

Hookes Law
Coefficient k is called stiffness or stiffness
coefficient or force constant or spring constant
of the spring
If choose x0 = 0 and extend the spring from 0 to x,
then the work done by the spring is
x

kx
W = Fx dx = ( kx )dx =
2
0
0

The work done by an applied external force is

exactly opposite:
2

Fx = kx

kx
W=
2