Polytechnic University of the Philippines

College of Science

Physics for Engineer

Work, Energy and Power

Mr. Cyrus J. Ayala

Department of Physical Sciences

Second Semester SY 2018-19

Overview of Dynamical Quantities
System and Surroundings
I System-is a set of interacting or interdependent
elements (components) forming an integrated whole or
a set of elements and relationships which are different
from relationships of the set or its elements to other
elements or sets.
I Surroundings- is the remainder of the universe that
lies outside the boundaries of the system.
Work, W
It is a scalar quantity done by force parallel to the
displacement covered by the object.
Work done by a constant force

− →
→ −
W = F · d = F d cos θ
where F= constant force in newton(N)
d= displacement in meter m
θ= angle between F and d
SI Unit is Joule(J)= N · m
Sample Problem on Work

1. Find the work done if the force is 45.0-N, the angle is

50.0 degrees, and the displacement is 75.0 m.
Sample Problem on Work
2. A worker pulls a 25.0 kg crate up a 27.00 incline with
µk = 0.2, as shown in the figure with constant force of 340
N 45.00 from the incline. As the crate slides 3.60 m, how
much is the net work done on the crate?
Work done by a Varying Horizontal Force

The work done by F (x) as the particle moves from xi to xf

as Z xf
W = F (x) dx
xi

If more than one force acts on a system and the system can
be modeled as a particle, the total work done on the system
is just the work done by the net force.
X Z xf
Wnet = W = Fnet (x) dx
xi
Work as Area Under the Curve of a
Force-Position Graph

Work done = Area under F versus x curve

Sample Problem

Calculate the work done in each case.

Energy

Energy is a scalar quantity, a conserved extensive property

of a physical system, which cannot be observed directly but
can be calculated from its state. It is the capacity to
change the state of a system.
SI Unit Joule(J) 1 joule=1 N · m
Gaussian erg 1 erg=1 dyne · cm
Other Unit electron volt(eV) 1 eV= 1.6 × 10−19 J
Kinetic Energy
It is the energy in moving matter and wave.
1
KEtrans = mv 2
2
Some forms of Kinetic Energy
Potential Energy
Energy in matter due to arrangements of its parts, its
composition, location and structure. It is commonly
considered as a stored energy having the potential to do
mechanical work.
P E = mgy
Some forms of Potential Energy
Work-Energy Theorem

A constant net force changes the velocity of an object and

does work on that object.
Sample Problem

1. The mass of the space probe is 474-kg and its initial

velocity is 275 m/s. If the 5.6 × 10−2 N force acts on
the probe through a displacement of 2.4 × 109 m, what
is its final speed?
Sample Problem

2. A 260-g beach volleyball is spiked so that it acquires a

speed of 25 m/s. (a) What is its kinetic energy? (b)
What was the net work done on the ball to make it
reach its speed, if it started from rest?
3. How much net work is required to accelerate a 1000-kg
car from 15 m/s to 60 m/s?
Work in Terms of Continuous Form

→
−
Z
W = F · d→
−
r
→
−
where : F = Fx î + Fy ĵ + Fz k̂ and d→
−
r = dxî + dy ĵ + dz k̂
Z
W = (Fx î + Fy ĵ + Fz k̂) · (dxî + dy ĵ + dz k̂)
Z Z Z
W = Fx dx + Fy dy + Fy dz
Work done by Gravitational Force
Work done by Gravitational Force
The work done by the weight or gravitational force
Z yf Z yf Z yf
0
Wg = F (y) cos 180 dy = − W dy = −mg dy
yi yi yi
 y2

Wg = −mg[y  ] = −mg(y2 − y1 ) = −(mgy2 − mgy1 )
y1

The gravitational potential energy is defined as

Vg = mgy

Then,

Wg = −(Vg1 − Vg2 ) = −4P E

Work Done by Elastic Force

A block on a horizontal, frictionless surface is connected to

a spring. The spring force or restoring force, Fs exerted by
the spring on a mass attached to it as it displaces is

Fs = −kx

where x is the position of the block relative to its

equilibrium (x = 0) position and k is the spring constant
which determines the stiffness of the spring. This force law
for springs is called as Hooke’s Law.
Work Done by Spring
If the block undergoes an arbitrary displacement from xi to
xf , the work done by the spring force on the block is

xf
x
1 2  f
Z Z
Ws = Fs dx = −kx dx = − kx 
xi 2 xi

1 1
Ws = kx2i − kx2f
2 2
Definition of Conservative Forces

1. A force is conservative when the work it does on a

moving object is independent of the path between the
object’s initial and final positions.
2. A force is conservative when it does no work on an
object moving around a closed path, starting and
finishing at the same point.
Definition of Conservative Forces

1. A force is conservative when the work it does on a

moving object is independent of the path between the
object’s initial and final positions.
Definition of Conservative Forces

2. A force is conservative when it does no work on an

object moving around a closed path, starting and
finishing at the same point.
Non-Conservative Force

A force is non-conservative if it does not satisfy

properties 1 and 2 for conservative forces. The net force
acting on an object or system is equal to the sum of the
conservative and non-conservative forces. Thus, the net
work can be written as:
→
− →
− →
−
Z Z
Wnet = F net · d r = ( F C + F N C ) · d→
→
− −
r

→
− → →
−
Z Z
Wnet = F C d−
r + F N C d→
−
r

Wnet = WC + WN C or WN C = Wnet − WC
General Form of Work-Energy Theorem

The general form of the work-energy theorem is:

WN C = 4KE + 4P E
Law of Conservation of Mechanical Energy
When no non-conservative forces are present, then
WN C = 0, the general form of the work- energy theorem is:

0 = 4KE + 4P E

0 = (KE2 − KE1 ) + P E2 − P E1
KE1 + P E1 = KE2 + P E2
The mechanical energy is defined as:

E ≡ KE + P E

Thus, the law of conservation of energy is:

E1 = E2
Law of Conservation of Mechanical Energy
Sample Problem
1. A 1000 kg roller coaster car moves from point 1 to
point 2 and then to point 3.
A. What is the gravitational potential energy at 2 and 3
relative to point 1 if point is y = 0?
B. What is the change in potential energy when the car
goes from point 2 to point 3?
C. Repeat part A and B but this time take the reference
point (y = 0) at point 3.
Sample Problem
2. An air-track glider of mass 0.1 kg is attached to the
end of a horizontal air track by a spring with force
constant 20.0 N/m. Initially the spring is unstretched
and the glider is moving at 1.50 m/s to the right. Find
the maximum distance d that the glider moves to the
right.
A. If the air track is turned on so that there is no friction
B. If the air is turned off so that there coefficient of
kinetic friction(µk ) is 0.47
Sample Problem
3. We want to load a 12-kg crate into the truck by sliding
it up a ramp 2.5m long, inclined at 300 . A worker,
giving no thought to friction, calculates that he can get
the crate up the ramp by giving it an initial speed of
5.0 m/s at the bottom and letting it go. But friction is
not negligible; the crate slides up the ramp, stops, and
slides back down.
A. Assuming that the friction force acting on the crate is
constant, find its magnitude.
B. How fast is the crate moving when it reaches the
bottom of the ramp?
Sample Problem

4. A glider with mass m = 0.2 kg sits on a frictionless

horizontal air track, connected to a spring with force
constant k = 5.0 N/m. You pull on the glider,
stretching the spring 0.100 m, and then release it with
no initial velocity. The glider begins to move back
toward its equilibrium position (x = 0)
A. What is its velocity when x = 0.080 m?
B. Suppose the glider apply a constant force F with
magnitude 0.610N, what is the glider’s velocity when
it has moved to x = 0.100m?
Bounded and Unbounded Motion

For the total mechanical energy E, the motions are

classified per region as:
Bounded motion: Region III
Free (unbounded) motion: Region 1 and Region V
Forbidden region: Region II and IV
Force and Potential Energy

In one dimension
dU (x)
F =−
dx
In two or three dimension
→
−
F = − ∇U
→
− →
− ∂ ∂ ∂
where ∇ ≡ del operator → ∇ = î + ĵ + k̂ then
∂x ∂y ∂z
∂U ∂U ∂U
F = −( î + ĵ + k̂)
∂x ∂y ∂z
Sample Problem

Force and potential energy in two dimension: A puck

slides on a level, frictionless air-hockey table. The
coordinates of the puck are x and y. It is acted on by a
conservative force described by the potential-energy
function.
1
U (x, y) = k(x2 + y 2 )
2
Derive an expression for the force acting on the puck, and
find an expression for the force as a function of position.
Power

is a scalar quantity and defined as the amount of energy

consumed per unit time. In SI system, the unit of power is
the joule per second (J/s), known as the watt, W (in honor
of James Watt
4W F 4x
Average Power: Pave = = = F vave
4t 4t
dW
Instantaneous power: P =
dt