Work

Work is a measure of energy transfer that occurs when an object is

moved over a distance by an external force.
Work is a scalar quantity (have size or magnitude only ; ex. volume,
density, speed, energy, mass, and time) with symbol (W), and
measured in Joules (J)

If an object does not move, then work is not done. If an object is

moved by a force, then it gains kinetic energy.

Work is proportional to the magnitude of the force and the distance

over which it moves, summarized in the formula:
Work (J) = Force (N) x Distance (m)
W=Fd
Note: The force that you use in the equation must be in the same
direction as the distance travelled. For example, in the following,

The net force is F, but the object moves a distance in a different

direction. So in the equation, you would use F cos θ (the x-component
of F) instead of F.

When the net force and distance travelled are in different directions,
W = F d cosθ
Sample problems:
1. A force of 6 N is applied on an object at an angle of 60º with the
horizontal. Calculate the work done in moving the object by 2m in
the horizontal direction.
Solution :
W = Fd cos θ
= 6×2 × cos 60º
= 6×2 × (½)
=6J
2. A person lifts 5 kg potatoes from the ground floor to a height of 4m to
bring it to first floor. Calculate the work done.

Solution : Since the potatoes are lifted, work is being done against gravity.
Therefore, we can write
Force = mg
= 5 kg× 9.8 m s–²
= 49 N
Work done = 49 × 4 (N m)
= 196 J
 Energy

Energy is defined as the “ability to do work” or cause change - i.e, if

100 Joules of work is done, 100 Joules of energy is needed.
● It is a scalar quantity, measured in Joules (J)

There are many forms of energy, and each form can be transferred
between objects, or converted (or transformed) into another form. The
two main forms of energy involved with motion are:
1. Kinetic energy
2. Potential energy
 Kinetic energy
● Energy that an object has because it is in motion
● KE is directly proportional to the mass and velocity of an object
● Objects with larger mass or higher velocity will have more KE

Kinetic Energy is a scalar quantity. It depends on the product of mass

and the square of the speed. It does not matter which one of the two (m
and v) is small and which one is large. It is the total value of ½mv2 that
determines the kinetic energy.

Kinetic Energy (J) = ½ x Mass (kg) x Velocity2 (m/s)

KE = ½mv2
Let us consider an object of mass m moving along a straight line when a
constant force of magnitude F acts on it along the direction of motion.
This force produces a uniform acceleration a such that F = ma. Let v1 be
the speed of the object at time t1. This speed becomes v2 at another
instant of time t2. During this interval of time t = (t2 – t1 ), the object
covers a distance, s. Using Equations of Motion, we can write

or
Combining this result with Newton’s second law of motion, we can write

We know that work done by the force is given by W = Fd hence,

Where K2 and K1 respectively denote the final and initial kinetic energies.
(K2 – K1) denotes the change in kinetic energy, which is equal to the work
done by the force.
Sample problem:

1. An African elephant with a mass of 6000 kg and charging forward

with a velocity of 10 m/s. How fast would a 1 kg cannon ball travel if it
had the same kinetic energy as the elephant?
Solution:
KEelephant = KEcannon ball
½ m1 v12 = ½ m2 v22
½(6000)(10)2 = ½ (1) v22
V2 = 774.6 m/s
2. A ball has a mass of 2Kg, suppose it travels at 10m/s. Find the kinetic
energy possessed by it.
Given: m = 2Kg, and v = 10m/s
The KE is given by,
KE = ½ m v2
=1/2 (2)(10)2
= 100J
3. Work done by a force on a moving object is 100J. It was traveling at a
speed of 2 m/s. Find the new speed of the object if the mass of the object is
2Kg.
W=1/2 m (v22 – v12)
100 = ½(2)(v22 – 22)
V2 = 10.198m/s
 Potential energy
Potential energy is energy that is stored – or conserved - in an object or
substance. This stored energy is based on the position, arrangement or
state of the object or substance.

For example, it requires energy to compress a spring – but

what happens to that energy once the spring has been
compressed? After all, we know that energy cannot be
created or destroyed, it can only be converted from one
form to another. Well, in the case of our spring, the kinetic
energy used to compress the spring has been converted
to potential energy. When we release the spring, the
stored potential energy will be converted back into kinetic
energy.
There are two main types of potential energy:
Gravitational potential energy
Elastic potential energy

Gravitational potential energy

● Energy that an object stores by being lifted to a height
● GPE is directly proportional to the altitude and mass of an object
● Objects that are higher up or have more mass will have more PEg

Gravitational Potential Energy (J) =

Mass (kg) x Gravitational acceleration (m/s2) x Height (m)
PEg = wh = mgh

(Gravitational Acceleration on Earth = 9.8 m/s2)

Sample problem:

1. A 1,500 gram object at 20 meters above the ground, free fall to the
ground. What is the gravitational potential energy of the object.
Acceleration due to gravity (g) = 9.8 m/s2
Mass (m) = 1500 gram = 1500/1000 kilogram = 1.5 kilogram
Solution :

PE = m g h
= (1.5 kg)(9.8 m/s2)(20 m)
= 294 kg m2/s2
= 294 Joule
Elastic potential energy
Elastic potential energy is the energy stored as a result of deformation of
an object, for example the stretching of spring.

Ee = ½ k Δx 2

Ee = elastic potential energy (J)

Δx = extension (m) or change in position
k = spring constant (N/m)
According to Hooke's Law. The spring constant can be calculated using
the following formula:

k = F/ Δx
Sample problem:
1. A truck spring has a spring constant of 5x104 N/m. When unloaded, the
truck sits 0.8 m above the road. When loaded with goods, it lowers to 0.7 m
above the ground. How much potential energy is stored in the four springs?
Solution:
The difference in the height of the truck is 0.1 m, (0.8 m – 0.7 m). This tells us
the compression of the springs Δx. Substituting into the equation for the
potential energy in a spring:

Ee = 1/2 k Δx 2
= ½ (5x10^4)(0.1) 2

= 250J per x 4 springs

= 1000J
2. A trained archer has the ability to draw a longbow with a force of up to
300 N, extending the string back by 0.6 m. Assuming the bow behaves like
an ideal spring, what spring constant would allow the archer to make use
of his full strength? What potential energy is stored in the bow when it is
drawn?
Solution:
k = F/ Δx
= 300N/0.6m
= 500N/m

Ee = 1/2 k Δx 2
= ½ (500)(0.6)2
= 90J
 Conservation of Energy

The Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy cannot be

created or destroyed. Therefore, the total energy within an isolated
system (i.e the Universe) does not change.

E.g. If you lift a 100g object 1m high, you give it 1 joule of gravitational
potential energy (GPE). When the object is dropped and falls 1m, the
GPE is converted to Kinetic Energy (KE), and it accelerates. After falling
1m, it has turned 1 joule of GPE into 1 joule of KE (ignoring friction etc).
The total energy is the same.
 Work-Energy Principle
Work requires energy to be done. Therefore, following the law of energy
conservation, the work done on an object is equal to the change in its
energy. For example, if we equate work to the change in kinetic energy:

Work = Change in Kinetic Energy

W = ΔKE = ½mva 2- ½mvb 2

This principle also applies for other forms of energy, such as change in
gravitational energy where

W = mgha - mghb

This principle is very useful for many physics problems.

 Power

Power is the rate of doing work, or the amount of energy transferred per
unit of time.
● Power is a scalar quantity, with symbol (P), and measured in Watts (W) or
joules-per-second (J/s)

Power, unlike work, is also dependent on time. For example, A person

walking a box upstairs or running a box upstairs does an equal amount of
work, but running needs more power as it takes less time. This is summarised
in the formula for average power:

Power (W) = Work (J) / Time (s)

P = W/t
Sample problem:
1. A 50-kg person runs up the stairs 10 meters high in 2 minutes. Acceleration due
to gravity (g) is 10 m/s2. Determine the power.
P=W/t
P = power, W = work, t = time
Formula of Work :
W=Fd=wh=mgh
W = work, F = force, w = weight, d = displacement, h = height, m = mass, g
= acceleration due to gravity

W = m g h = (50)(10)(10) = 5000 Joule.

P = W / t = 5000 / 120 = 41.7 Joule/second.
2. Calculate the power required of a 60-kg person who climbs a tree 5
meters high in 10 seconds. Acceleration due to gravity is 10 m/s2.
W = m g h = (60)(10)(5) = 3000 Joule
P = W / t = 3000 / 10 = 300 Joule/second.