Unit-5 Energy and power

Work, mechanical energy, Thermal energy-

conservation of energy- First law of
thermodynamics-understanding what we mean by
power-watts and Horse power- Efficiency.

Dr. S. SRIDHAR
Assistant Professor
Department of Physics
Vel Tech University
 5.1 What is Energy?
• Energy is the capacity of a physical system to
do work. The common symbol for energy is
the uppercase letter E. The standard unit is
the joule, symbolized by J. Energy can have
different forms
– kinetic energy
– potential energy
– elastic energy
 Kinetic Energy
When work is done on or against an object, it changes the kinetic energy of the
object

Mechanical work done by the engine

brings about a change in kinetic energy

1 1 1 1
work1 2  mV2  mV12
2 KE  mV2  mV12
2

2 2 2 2

Units: N
2
m m
kinetic energy  mV 2  kg    kg  2 m 
1
2 s s 
 N  m  joule  J
Example

Given: a car traveling at 90 km/h has a mass of 1400 kg.

Find: the net force needed to bring the car to a full stop in
a distance of 100 m.
Solution:
 km  1 h  1000 m  m
V1  Vinitial  90     25
 h  3600 s  1 km  s
V2  Vfinal  0

work1-2  forcedistance  
1 1
mV22  mV12
2 2
force100 m   0  1 1400 kg 25 m/s 2
2
force  4375 N
 Potential Energy
The gravitational potential energy represents the
amount work required to lift an object with a mass m
through a vertical distance ∆h. It is the work required
to overcome the gravitational pull of the earth.

PE  mg h  Δh

m
m

Units: N

m
potential energy  mgh  kg  2 m 
s 
 N  m  joule  J
 Example
Given: an elevator and its occupant with a mass of 2000 kg
Find: the energy required to lift the elevator and its occupant (a) between 1st and 2nd floor,
(b) between 3rd and 4th floor, (c) between 1st and 4th floor.

Solution:
(a) change in potential energy = mg∆h

 
 2000 kg  9.81 m/s 2 4.5 m  88,290 J
(b) change in potential energy between third and fourth floor
 
 2000 kg  9.81 m/s 2 4.5 m  88,290 J
(c) change in potential energy between first and fourth floor

 
 2000 kg  9.81 m/s 2 13.5 m  264,870 J

Note: the amount of energy required to lift the elevator from 1st
to 2nd floor and from 3rd to 4th floor is the same. We have
neglected any frictional effect in our analysis. The actual energy
requirement would be greater in the presence of frictional effect.
 Elastic Energy
• When a spring is stretched or
compressed from its unstretched
position, elastic energy is stored in
the spring.
• Energy will be released when the
x
spring is allowed to return to its
unstretched position Force

• Elastic energy stored in the spring Force

is given by:
1 2 Units:
elastic energy  kx N 2
elastic energy  kx 2   m 
2 1
2 m
 N  m  joule  J
 Elastic Energy

1 2
elastic energy  kx1
2
1 2
x1
elastic energy  kx2
x2 2
Force change in elastic energy  EE
Force 1 2 1 2
Force  kx2  kx1
2 2
 Example
Given: a spring with k = 100 N/cm is being stretched as shown
Find: the change in elastic energy when the spring is stretched from (a) position 1 to
position 2, (b) position 2 to position 3, (c) position 1 to position 3
Solution:
Convert spring constant from N/cm to N/m

k  100 N/cm 100 cm/m   10,000 N/m

1 2 1 2
change in elastic energy  EE  kx2  kx1
2 2
(a) EE  10,000 N/m 0.05   0  12.5 J
1 2

(b) EE 
1
10,000 N/m 0.07 2  1 10,000 N/m 0.052  12 J
2 2

(c) EE 
1
10,000 N/m 0.07 2  0  24.5 J
2
 5.2 Conservation of Mechanical Energy
The total mechanical energy of a system is constant assuming negligible losses, no
work and no heat transfer
KE  PE  EE  0

Example problem
Given: a cart is rolling down an
inclined surface as shown. The cart
velocity at point A = 2.5 m/s
Find: estimate H

Solution:
Neglecting rolling friction,

KE  mV22  mV12  m2.5 m/s   0

1 1 1 2

2 2 2
EE  0 
PE  mgh  m 9.81 m/s 2 H 
1
2
2
 
m2.5 m/s   m 9.81 m/s 2 H  0  H  0.318 m
 5.3 Thermal Energy
• Thermal energy (heat) transfer occurs whenever there exists a temperature
difference within an object, between two bodies, or between a body and its
surrounding
• Heat always flows from a high-temperature region to a low-temperature region
• Three modes of heat transfer
– Conduction
– Convection
– Radiation

Unit:

In SI system, joule is the unit of energy

1 joule  1 N  m  1 kg  m 2 /s 2

In U.S. Customary unit, thermal energy unit is given in Btu and is

related to mechanical energy through
1 Btu  778 lb  ft
1 Btu  1055 J
 5.4 Conservation of Energy – First Law
of Thermodynamics
• Energy is conserved Q  W  E
– it cannot be created or where
destroyed Q   Qin   Qout
– energy can only change W   Wout   Win
forms E  net change in total energy of system
• For a system having a fixed
mass, the net heat transfer
to the system minus the
work done by the system is
equal to the change in total
energy of the system
Example

Given: a heater puts 150 W (J/s) into the

water pot. Heat loss from the water pot to the
atmosphere is 60 W.
Find: the change in total energy of water in
the pot after 5 minutes
Solution:
Q  W  Qin  Qout   Wout  Win   E
W 0
150 J/s 300 s   60 J/s 300 s   E
E  27 kJ
 Power is defined as
5.5 Power
– the time rate of doing work
– the required work (or energy) divided by the time required to perform
the task work forcedistance 
work forcedistance  Units power  
power   time time
time time 1. Watts (W) in SI Nm J
  W
or units s s
energy 2. Horsepower (hp) in lb  ft lb  ft
power   f and 1 hp  550 f
time U.S. Customary units s s

• General relationship between W and hp

– 1 (lbf.ft/s) is slightly greater in magnitude than 1 W
lb f  ft
1  1.3558 W  1.36 W
s

– 1 hp is slightly smaller than 1 kW

• 1 hp = 745.69 W  746 W
• Kilowatt hour (kWh) is a unit of energy – not power
– 1 kWh = amount of energy consumed during 1 hr by a device that
uses 1 kW
Examples
Given: 30 people with an average mass of 61 kg (133 lbm) per person; vertical
distance between 2 floors is 5 m (16 ft)
Find: the power required to move these people between 2 floors in 2 seconds.
 kg   m
Solution:  30 people   61  9.81 2 
5 m
power 
work
  person  s 
 45, 000 W
time 2s

Given: a person weighs 1000 N

Find: the power required to move the person a vertical distance of 1 m in 1 s.
work 1000 N 1 m  Nm
Solution: power    550  1 kW
time 1s s
Given: an object weighs 800 N
Find: the power required to move the object a vertical distance of 4 m in 2 s.
Solution:
work 800 N 4 m 
In SI units power    1600 W
time 2s

In horsepower  1 hp 
power  1600 W    2.14 hp
 746 W 
 5.6 Efficiency
We use efficiency to express how well a machine or a system is
functioning

actual output
efficiency 
required input

Power Plant Efficiency

The overall efficiency of a steam power plant is defined as
energy generated
power plant efficiency 
energy input from fuel
 Internal Combustion Engine Efficiency
power output
thermal efficiency 
heat power input as fuel is burned
Thermal efficiency of a typical gasoline engine is approximately 25 to 30%
Thermal efficiency of a diesel engine is approximately 35 to 40%

Motor Efficiency
power input to the device being driven
efficiency 
electric power input to the motor
Efficiency of a motor is a function of load and speed

Pump Efficiency
power input to the fluid by the pump
efficiency 
power input to the pump by the motor

Efficiency of a pump, at a given operating speed, is a function of

flow rate and the pressure rise (head) of the pump