Dynamics

Dynamics

READ the
Textbook!

Work/ Kinetic Energy

(revision)
Potential Energy
Conservative forces
Conservation laws
Momentum

Part II We are
to admit no more
causes of natural
things than such as
are both true and
sufficient to explain
their appearances.

Centre-of-mass
Impulse
http://www.hep.manchester.ac.uk/u/parkes/Chris_Parkes/Teaching.html
October 2012

Chris Parkes

Work & Energy

Work is the change in energy that results from applying a force

Work = Force F times Distance s, units of Joules[J]

More precisely W=F.x
F,x Vectors so W=F x cos
e.g. raise a 10kg weight 2m
F=mg=10*9.8 N,
W=Fx=98*2=196 Nm=196J

The rate of doing work is the

P

dW
dt

So, for constant Force

Power

[Js-1Watts]

d(F x)
dx
F
F v
dt
dt

Work-Energy Theorem
The work done by the resultant force (or the
total work done) on a particle is equal to the
change in the Kinetic Energy of the particle.
In terms of the internal energy or potential energy
W U U Fdx
Potential Energy - energy associated with the position or
configuration of objects within a system

Energy can be converted into work

Electrical, chemical, or letting a
weight fall (gravitational)
Hydro-electric power station

mgh of
water

Gravitational Potential Energy

Choice of zero level is

arbitrary
Ug = mgh
mg h
Reference plane

Ug = 0
mg

-h
Ug = - mgh

mg

No such thing as a definitive

amount of PE

particle stays close to the Earths surface and so the

gravitational force remains constant.

This stored energy has the potential to do work Potential

We are dealing with changes in energy
choose an arbitrary 0, and look at p.e.
This was gravitational p.e., another example :

Energy

h
0
W F x (mg )h

Stored energy in a Spring

Do work on a spring to compress it or expand it

Hookes law

BUT, Force depends on extension x

Work done by a variable force

Work done by a variable force

Consider small distance dx over which force is constant
F(x)
dx

Work W=Fx dx

So, total work is sum W F dx F ( x)dx

0

X
0
Graph of F vs x,

integral is area under graph

work done = area
dx

Elastic Potential Energy

Unstretched position

For spring,F(x)=-kx:
x
F
X

Uel
X

Uel

1 2
kX
2

1 2
kX
2

-X
X

W F ( x)dx kxdx [ 12 kx 2 ]0X 12 kX 2

Stretched spring stores P.E. kX2

Potential Energy Function

1 2
U mgx kx
2

Reference plane

x
Fs
mg

Conservation of Energy
K U Uint 0
K.E., P.E., Internal Energy

Conservative & Dissipative Forces

Conservative Forces

K U 0

A system conserving K.E. + P.E. (mechanical energy)

But if a system changes energy in some other way (dissipative forces)

e.g. Friction changes energy to heat, reducing mechanical energy
the amount of work done will depend on the path taken against the frictional
force
Or fluid resistance
Or chemical energy of an explosion, adding mechanical energy

Conservative forces

frictionless surface

Example

A 2kg collar slides

without friction along a
vertical rod as shown.
If the spring is
unstretched when the
collar is in the dashed
position A, determine
the speed at which the
collar is moving when
y = 1m, if it is released
from rest at A.

Properties of conservative forces

The work done by them is reversible

Work done on moving round a closed path is zero

The work done by a conservative force is independent of

the path, and depends only on the starting and finishing
points
B
Work done by friction force is
greater for this path
A

Forces and Energy

W U U Fdx

U(x)
Fx (x)
x
e.g. spring

2
1
[
kx
]
U 12 kx F 2
kx
x
2

U(x, y, z) U(x, y, z) U(x, y, z)

F(x, y, z)
i
j
k U(x, y, z)
x
y
z

Partial Derivative derivative wrt one variable, others held constant

Gradient operator, said as grad(f)

Glider on a linear air track

Negligible
friction

Minimum on a
potential energy
curve is a position
of stable
equilibrium
- no Force

Maximum on a
potential energy
curve is a
position of
unstable
equilibrium

Linear Momentum Conservation

Define momentum p=mv

d p d ( mv )
nd
Newtons 2 law actually F dt dt m ddtv ma
So, with no external forces, momentum is
dp
conserved. F 0, dt 0, p const
Also true for net forces
on groups of particles
e.g. two body collision on frictionless If F F 0,
surface in 1D
then p p const
i

before

m1

m2

0 ms-1
Initial momentum: m1 v0 = m1v1+ m2v2 : final momentum
after

v0

m1

m2

v2
v1
For 2D remember momentum is a VECTOR, must apply
conservation, separately for x and y velocity components

Energy Conservation
Energy can neither be created nor destroyed
Energy can be converted from one form to another
Need to consider all possible forms of energy in a
system e.g:

Kinetic energy (1/2 mv2)

Potential energy (gravitational mgh, electrostatic)
Electromagnetic energy
Work done on the system
Heat (1st law of thermodynamics)
Friction Heat

Energy measured in Joules [J]

Collision revisited

m1

v1

m2

We identify two types of collisions

Elastic: momentum and kinetic energy conserved
Initial K.E.: m1 v02 = m1v12+ m2v22 : final K.E.
Inelastic: momentum is conserved, kinetic energy is not
Kinetic energy is transformed into other forms of energy

See lecture example for cases of elastic solution

Newtons cradle

1. m1>m2
2. m1<m2
3. m1=m2

v2

Impulse
Change in momentum from a force acting
for a short amount of time (dt)
Impulse J p 2 p1 F dt

Where, p1 initial momentum

p2 final momentum

NB: Just Newton 2nd law rewritten

F

p 2 p1
dt

dp

dv

m
ma
dt
dt

Approximating
derivative
Impulse is measured in Ns.
change in momentum is measured in kg m/s.
since a Newton is a kg m/s2 these are equivalent

Q) Estimate
the impulse
For Andy
Murrays
serve
[135 mph]?

Centre-of-mass
Average location for the total mass
xCM

m1 x1 m2 x2 m3 x3 .... mi xi

m1 m2 m3 ...
mi

yCM

m1 y1 m2 y2 m3 y3 .... mi yi

m1 m2 m3 ...
mi

Mass weighted average position

Centre of gravity see textbook

Position vector of centre-of-mass

rCM

m1r1 m2 r2 m3r3 .... mi ri

m1 m2 m3 ...
mi

Rigid Bodies
Integral form

dm
x

r cm

r
dm

M
dm is mass of small element of body

r is position vector of each small element.

Momentum and centre-of-mass

Differentiating position to velocity:
m1v1 m2 v2 m3v3 .... mi vi mi vi
vCM

m1 m2 m3 ...
mi
M
MvCM mi vi P

Hence momentum equivalent to

total mass centre-of-mass velocity

Forces and centre-of-mass

Differentiating velocity to acceleration:
MaCM mi ai F

Centre-of-mass moves as acted on by the sum of

the Forces acting

Internal Forces
MaCM mi ai F

Internal forces between elements of the body

and external forces
Internal forces are in action-reaction pairs and cancel
in the sum
Hence only need to consider external forces on body
F Fext Fint
Fint 0
Fext MaCM

In terms of momentum of centre-of-mass

dvCM d(MvCM ) dP
Fext M

dt
dt
dt

Example
A body moving to the right collides elastically
with a 2kg body moving in the same direction
at 3m/s . The collision is head-on. Determine
the final velocities of each body, using the
centre of mass frame.

6ms-1
4kg

C of M

2kg

3ms-1

Lab Frame before collision

4kg

6 ms-1

5 ms-1

2kg

C of M

3 ms-1

Centre of Mass Frame before collision

4kg

1 ms

-1

C of M

2 ms-1
2kg

Centre of Mass Frame after collision

1 ms-1

4kg

C of M

2kg

2 ms-1