Work, Kinetic, and Potential

Energy
 Work as Defined in Physics
• The concept of work can be • Simple form:
understood when a force is  
applied to a body to change its
motion. W  F d
• Work = Force
• It is done on an object when an Displacement
applied force changes its = Force 
position.
Displacement
– It can be done by you, as well • Machines (e.g. ramps,
as on you. levers, etc.) make work
easy
– Work is a measure of expended – i.e. apply less force over
energy larger distance for the
same amount of work
2
 Work done from constant force
 
W  F  s  Fs cos 

• For a constant force:

– Only the force in the direction of motion contributes to the work
done on an object.
– This work is selected by the dot product.

– Units of work:
• 1 N.m = 1 Joules (i.e. it is energy); 1 calorie = 4.186 J
 Work done on a block

• A block is pushed 2.5 m by a net force of

50.0 N in the direction of motion. How
much work was done?
W-KE Theorem: non constant velocity
A mass of 10kg is acted on by a force of 10N at an angle of
30o above a frictionless surface. The force acts over a
distance of 5m. How much work was done on the object?

F = 10N

300

M = 10 kg s = 5m
 Positive, Negative, or Zero Work

FN
Direction of motion Negative work done
Fapp on an object
reduces the amount
Friction, Ffr
of kinetic energy
it has.
FW
• Applied force, Fapp, is parallel to the displacement ( = 0):
W = Fapps
• Friction, Ffr, opposes the direction of motion ( = 1800):
W = -Ffrs
• Gravitational force, Fw, and normal force, FN, are both perpendicular to
the direction of motion ( = 900):
W = zero!!!
 Work and Kinetic Energy
• Remember your Kinematic Equations?

v  v  2as
2 2
mv 2
mvi2
  mas  F  ma
f i f

2 2
v 2f vi2
  as mv 2 2 Definition
mv
2 2  f
 F s
i
1 2
2 2 KE  mv
 v 2f vi2  2
m    as  KE  Wtot
 2 2 
 
A force acting on a body results in a change of kinetic energy. This
is known as the Work-Kinetic Energy Theorem.
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 KE is also associated to a body’s speed, it is a
measure of the amount of work that one
Kinetic object can do on another
Energy
• For a mass in motion, it is proportional to
1 2 v2…
KE  mv
2 • Fast events = high kinetic energies!
– Damage to car in collision is
proportional to v2
– Trauma to the head from falling
objects is proportional to v2
– Storms with 80 km.p.h. packs four
times the punch of winds with 40
km.p.h. speed
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 Kinetic energy of a baseball

• A 145 g baseball is moving at

30 m/s. What is its kinetic
energy?
 Kinetic energy of a car

• The kinetic energy of car moving at 30 m/s

in the super highway is 675 kJ. What is the
mass of the car?
 Kinetic energy of a fish

• What is the speed of a 2 kg (~4.4 lb) fish

which jumps out of the water with a kinetic
energy of 1 J?
 Example

Suppose the woman in the figure above applies a 50 N force to a

25-kg box at an angle of 30 degrees above the horizontal. She
manages to pull the box 5 meters.

a) Calculate the WORK done by the woman on the box

b) The speed of the box after 5 meters if the box started from rest.
 W  KE  1 mv 2
W  Fx cos  2
W  (50)(5) cos 30  W  1 (25)v 2
2
216.5 J v  4.16 m/s
 Energy values of fuels

Joules Equivalent
Energy Unit
(S.I.)
gallon of gasoline 1.3 x 108
AA battery 103
standard cubic foot of natural gas (SCF) 1.1 x 106
barrel of crude oil (contains 42 gallons) 6.1 x 109
pound of coal 1.6 x 107
pound of gasoline 2.2 x 107
pound of oil 2.4 x 107
pound of Uranium-235 3.7 x 1013
ton of coal 3.2 x 1010
ton of Uranium-235 7.4 x 1016
 Rough values of the energies of various occurrences

Occurrence Energy (J) Occurrence Energy (J)

Creation of the Universe 1068 One day of heavy manual

107
labor
Exploding volcano (Krakatoa) 1019
Woman running for 1 hr 106
Severe earthquake (Richter 8) 1018
Candy bar 106
Burning a million tons of coal 1016
Burning match 103
Hurricane 1015 Hard-hit baseball 103
Atomic Bomb (Hiroshima) 1014 Lifting an apple 1 m 1
Energy to put the space Human heartbeat 0.5
1013
shuttle in orbit
Depressing typewriter key 10-2
One year of electricity for the Hopping flea 10-7
1010
average house
Photon of light 10-19
Lightening bolt 1010
Energy of room-temperature
Human daily diet 107 10-21
air molecule
 Work is Exchange of Energy

• Energy is the capacity to do work

• Two main categories of energy
– Kinetic Energy: Energy of motion
• A moving baseball can do work
• A falling anvil can do work
– Potential Energy: Stored (latent) capacity to do work
• Gravitational potential energy (perched on cliff)
• Mechanical potential energy (like in compressed spring)
• Chemical potential energy (stored in bonds)
• Nuclear potential energy (in nuclear bonds)
• Energy can be converted between types

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 Conversion of Energy

• Falling object converts gravitational

potential energy into kinetic energy
• Friction converts kinetic energy into
vibrational (thermal) energy
– makes things hot (rub your hands together)
– irretrievable energy
• Doing work on something changes that
object’s energy by amount of work done,
transferring energy from the agent doing
the work 16
 Gravitational Potential Energy
GPE is associated with a body’s weight and position above the
ground
Work done on the body BY gravity is

h2 Wgrav =FW·s = -mg(h2-h1)

= mgh1 – mgh2

mg
PE = mgh
h1

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 Gravitational Potential Energy

• Gravitational Potential Energy near the

surface of the Earth:

Work = Force  Distance

W = mg  h
h
PE = mgh
m

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Potential Energy

The man shown lifts a 10 kg package

2 meters above the ground. What is
the potential energy given to the
package by the man?

PE  mgh
PE  (10)(9.8)(2) 
h

196 J
 Energy is Conserved!

• The total energy (in all forms) in a “closed”

system remains constant
• This is one of nature’s “conservation laws”
– Conservation applies to:
• Energy (includes mass via E = mc2)
• Momentum
• Angular Momentum
• Electric Charge
• Conservation laws are fundamental in physics,
and stem from symmetries in our space and time

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 ENERGY IS CONSERVED
The law of conservation of mechanical
energy states: Energy cannot be created
or destroyed, only transformed!

Energy Before Energy After

Am I moving? If yes,
Am I moving? If yes,
Ko
K
Am I above the
Am I above the
ground? If yes, Uo
ground? If yes, U
 Conservation of Mechanical Energy
• In the absence of outside forces, Mechanical Energy is
conserved. This is the concept of
• CONSERVATION OF ENERGY

• Mechanical Energy (ME) = sum of PE and KE

ME  PE + KE
Any decrease in PE results from a increase in KE

Any increase in PE results from a decrease in KE

Conservation of Mechanical Energy

In a system of conservative forces, any change in

Potential Energy is compensated for by an inverse
change in Kinetic Energy

PE + KE = ME
The total mechanical energy E remains constant
ME i = ME f
PE i + KE i = PE f + KE f
 Conservation of Mechanical Energy: Exemption

• If other forces are present

– they are included in the initial stage

PE i + KE i + W F = PE f + KE f
• If friction is involved
PE i + KE i + Wfriction = PE f + KE f
PE i + KE i + Ffrictiond cos(180) = PE f + KE f
PE i + KE i - Ffrictiond = PE f + KE f
 Energy Conservation Demonstrated

• Roller coaster car lifted to initial height (energy in)

• Converts gravitational potential energy to motion
• Fastest at bottom of track
• Re-converts kinetic energy back into potential as it
climbs the next hill

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 Accounting for Mechanical Energy
 A 1 kg ball is dropped from a height of 10 m 10 m P.E. = 98 J
K.E. = 0 J
 Top ( h = 10m)
 v = 0 m/s  K = 0, E = U + K 8m
P.E. = 73.5 J
 Etop=Utop= mgh=(1 kg)(9.8 m/s2)(10m) = 98 J
K.E. = 24.5 J
 Halfway down (i.e. 5 m from the floor)
6m
 The ball has given up half its potential energy
to kinetic energy P.E. = 49 J
 Uhalf = mgh = (1 kg)(9.8 m/s2)(5 m) = 49 J
K.E. = 49 J
4m
 K = Etop – Uhalf = 98 J – 49 J = 49 J
 K = ½mv2  v2 = 98 m2/s2  v  10 m/s P.E. = 24.5 J
 Floor (h = 0 m) 2m K.E. = 73.5 J
 All potential energy is given up to kinetic energy
 K = 98 J  v2 = 196 m2/s2  v = 14 m/s P.E. = 0 J
0m
K.E. = 98 J
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 Energy Conversion/Conservation
10 m Example
P.E. = 98 J
•Drop 1 kg ball from 10 m
K.E. = 0 J

Height PE = KE = ME = v=
8m
P.E. = 73.5 J =h mgh ½ mv2 PE + KE 2KE/m
K.E. = 24.5 J
10 m
6m
P.E. = 49 J 7.5
K.E. = 49 J
4m
5m
P.E. = 24.5 J
2m K.E. = 73.5 J 2.5 m

0m
P.E. = 0 J
0m
K.E. = 98 J

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 Energy Conversion/Conservation
10 m Example
P.E. = 98 J
•Drop 1 kg ball from 10 m
K.E. = 0 J

Height PE = KE = ME = v=
8m
P.E. = 73.5 J =h mgh ½ mv2 PE + KE 2KE/m
K.E. = 24.5 J 1(9.8)10
10 m = 98 J
6m
P.E. = 49 J 7.5 1(9.8)7.5
= 73.5
K.E. = 49 J
4m 1(9.8) 5
5m = 49
P.E. = 24.5 J
2.5 m 1(9.8)2.5
2m K.E. = 73.5 J =24.5

0m 0
P.E. = 0 J
0m
K.E. = 98 J

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 Energy Conversion/Conservation
10 m Example
P.E. = 98 J
•Drop 1 kg ball from 10 m
K.E. = 0 J

Height PE = KE = ME = v=
8m
P.E. = 73.5 J =h mgh ½ mv2 PE + KE 2KE/m
K.E. = 24.5 J 1(9.8)10
10 m = 98 J
0.0 J 0 m/s
6m
P.E. = 49 J 7.5 1(9.8)7.5
= 73.5
K.E. = 49 J
4m 1(9.8) 5
5m = 49
P.E. = 24.5 J
2.5 m 1(9.8)2.5
2m K.E. = 73.5 J =24.5

0m 0
P.E. = 0 J
0m
K.E. = 98 J

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 Energy Conversion/Conservation
10 m Example
P.E. = 98 J
•Drop 1 kg ball from 10 m
K.E. = 0 J

Height PE = KE = ME = v=
8m
P.E. = 73.5 J =h mgh ½ mv2 PE + KE 2KE/m
K.E. = 24.5 J 1(9.8)10
10 m = 98 J
0.0 J 98 J 0 m/s
6m
P.E. = 49 J 7.5 1(9.8)7.5
= 73.5
K.E. = 49 J
4m 1(9.8) 5
5m = 49
P.E. = 24.5 J
2.5 m 1(9.8)2.5
2m K.E. = 73.5 J =24.5

0m 0
P.E. = 0 J
0m
K.E. = 98 J

30
 Energy Conversion/Conservation
10 m Example
P.E. = 98 J
•Drop 1 kg ball from 10 m
K.E. = 0 J

Height PE = KE = ME = v=
8m
P.E. = 73.5 J =h mgh ½ mv2 PE + KE 2KE/m
K.E. = 24.5 J 1(9.8)10
10 m = 98 J
0.0 J 98 J 0 m/s
6m
P.E. = 49 J 7.5 1(9.8)7.5 98 J
= 73.5
K.E. = 49 J
4m 1(9.8) 5
5m = 49
98 J
P.E. = 24.5 J
2.5 m 1(9.8)2.5 98 J
2m K.E. = 73.5 J =24.5

0m 0 98 J
P.E. = 0 J
0m
K.E. = 98 J

31
 Energy Conversion/Conservation
10 m Example
P.E. = 98 J
•Drop 1 kg ball from 10 m
K.E. = 0 J

Height PE = KE = ME = v=
8m
P.E. = 73.5 J =h mgh ½ mv2 PE + KE 2KE/m
K.E. = 24.5 J 1(9.8)10
10 m = 98 J
0.0 J 98 J 0 m/s
6m
P.E. = 49 J 7.5 1(9.8)7.5 98-73.5 98 J
= 73.5 =24.5
K.E. = 49 J
4m 1(9.8) 5 98-49
5m = 49 =49
98 J
P.E. = 24.5 J
2.5 m 1(9.8)2.5 98-24.5 98 J
2m K.E. = 73.5 J =24.5 =73.5

0m 0 98-0 98 J
P.E. = 0 J =98
0m
K.E. = 98 J

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 Energy Conversion/Conservation
10 m Example
P.E. = 98 J
•Drop 1 kg ball from 10 m
K.E. = 0 J

Height PE = KE = ME = v=
8m
P.E. = 73.5 J =h mgh ½ mv2 PE + KE 2KE/m
K.E. = 24.5 J 1(9.8)10
10 m = 98 J
0.0 J 98 J 0 m/s
6m
7.5 1(9.8)7.5 98-73.5 98 J
P.E. = 49 J
= 73.5 =24.5 2*24.5/1
K.E. = 49 J
4m 1(9.8) 5 98-49
5m = 49 =49
98 J
P.E. = 24.5 J
2.5 m 1(9.8)2.5 98-24.5 98 J
2m K.E. = 73.5 J =24.5 =73.5

0m 0 98-0 98 J
P.E. = 0 J =98
0m
K.E. = 98 J

33
 Energy Conversion/Conservation
10 m Example
P.E. = 98 J
•Drop 1 kg ball from 10 m
K.E. = 0 J

Height PE = KE = ME = v=
8m
P.E. = 73.5 J =h mgh ½ mv2 PE + KE 2KE/m
K.E. = 24.5 J
10 m 98 J 0J 98 J 0 m/s
6m
P.E. = 49 J 7.5 73.5 J 24.5 J 98 J 7 m/s
K.E. = 49 J
4m
5m 49 J 49 J 98 J 9.9 m/s
P.E. = 24.5 J
2m K.E. = 73.5 J 2.5 m 24.5 J 73.5 J 98 J 12.1 m/s
0m 0J 98 J 98 J 14 m/s
P.E. = 0 J
0m
K.E. = 98 J

34
 Energy Conversion/Conservation
10 m Example
P.E. = 98 J
•Drop 1 kg ball from 10 m
K.E. = 0 J

Height PE = KE = ME = v=
8m
P.E. = 73.5 J =h mgh ½ mv2 PE + KE 2KE/m
K.E. = 24.5 J
10 m 0 m/s
6m
P.E. = 49 J 8
K.E. = 49 J
4m
6m
P.E. = 24.5 J
2m K.E. = 73.5 J 4m

2m
P.E. = 0 J
0m
K.E. = 98 J
0
35
Example

36
A 1500 kg race car was speeding at 20 m/s when the driver initiated the
nitrous boost of 200,000 J. What is the final speed of the car?
 How fast work gets done is POWER
Average Power Instantaneous Power

When an amount of work W is The instantaneous power P is

done during a time interval t, defined as
the average work done per unit
time is the average power. W dW
P  lim  F v
t 0 t dt
W
P   F vave  In simple terms, power is the
t energy exchanged per unit
time P = W/t
x2  x1
v  vave   Units: 1 watts = Joules/sec
t2  t1
 1 horsepower (hp) = 745 W

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