Page 1 of 6
WORK, ENERGY &
POWER
DEFINITIONS
• Work done on an object by a force is the product of the displacement and the
component of the force parallel to the displacement.
• Gravitational potential energy is the energy an object possesses due to its position
relative to a reference point
• Kinetic energy is the energy an object has as a result of the object's motion.
• Mechanical energy is the sum of gravitational potential and kinetic energy at a point.
• Power as the rate at which work is done or the rate at which energy is transferred
• One watt is defined as the power when one joule of work is done in one second.
• Efficiency is the ratio of output power to input power
•
LAWS
• Law of conservation of energy: Is the total energy in a system cannot be created
nor destroyed; only transformed from one form to another.
• The principle of conservation of mechanical energy: In the absence of air
resistance or any external forces, the mechanical energy of an object is constant.
• Work – Energy Theorem: Work done by a net force on an object is equal to the
change in the kinetic energy of the object.
•
CONCEPTS
• Explain that an isolated system is one that has no net external force acting on it
• Explain (when working with isolated systems) what is meant by internal and external
forces
FORMULAE
𝑊
𝑊 = 𝐹∆𝑥 𝑃= 𝑡
𝐸𝑝 = 𝑚𝑔ℎ 𝑃 = 𝐹𝑣 − 𝑈𝑠𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑖𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
1 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑂𝑢𝑡
𝐸𝑘 = 𝑚𝑣 2 % 𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 = × 100
2 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝐼𝑛
𝐸𝑀 = 𝐸𝑝 + 𝐸𝑘
Page 2 of 6
SKILLS
• Solve problems using: 𝑊 = 𝐹𝑠 OR 𝑊 = 𝐹∆𝑥 OR 𝑊 = 𝐹∆𝑥 cos 𝜃
• Know that work is a scalar quantity and is measured in joules (J)
• Know that if energy is gained by the object, work done on that object is
considered positive
• Know that if energy is lost by the object, work done on that object is considered
negative.
• Calculate the gravitational potential energy of an object using 𝐸𝑝 = 𝑚𝑔ℎ.
1
• Calculate the kinetic energy of an object using 𝐸𝑘 = 𝑚𝑣 2 .
2
• Apply the principle of conservation of mechanical energy and solve problems
using (𝐸𝑝 + 𝐸𝑘 )𝑖 = (𝐸𝑝 + 𝐸𝑘 )𝑓 .
• Apply the work–energy theorem to objects on horizontal and inclined planes or
curved surfaces (frictionless and rough).
𝑊𝑛𝑒𝑡 = ∆𝐸𝑘 = 𝐸𝑘𝑓 − 𝐸𝑘𝑖
1 1
𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 ∆𝑡 = 𝑚𝑣𝑓2 − 𝑚𝑣𝑖2
2 2
• Solve conservation of energy problems (with and without external forces and/or
resistive forces present) by applying the law of conservation of energy.
𝑊
• Calculate the power involved when work is done using 𝑃 = .
𝑡
• If a force causes an object to move at a constant velocity, calculate the power
using 𝑃 = 𝐹𝑣.
𝑃
• Calculate percentage efficiency using: % 𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑦 = 𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 × 100
𝑖𝑛
Page 3 of 6
CALCULATING WORK DONE
Scenario 1 - Horizontal Force, no FF
FA
𝑊 = 𝐹𝐴 ∆𝑥 OR 𝑊 = 𝐸𝑘 𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑
∆𝒙
Scenario 2 - Force at an angle, no FF
FA
𝑊 = 𝐹𝐴 ∆𝑥 cos 𝜃 OR 𝑊 = 𝐸𝑘 𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑
∆𝒙
Scenario 3 - Horizontal Force, rough Surface with FF
FA
𝑊 = 𝐹𝐴 ∆𝑥 OR
𝑊 = 𝐸𝑘 𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑 + 𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡 𝐹𝐹
∆𝒙
Scenario 4 - Lifting an object up
FA ∆𝒙
𝑊 = 𝐹𝐴 ∆𝑥 OR 𝑊 = 𝐸𝑘 𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑 + 𝐸𝑝 𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑
If the object moves at constant velocity or stops
𝐸𝑘 gained =0
Scenario 5 (Object being pulled up on a rough inclined surface)
FA
𝑊 = 𝐹𝐴 ∆𝑥 OR
𝑊 = 𝐸𝑝 𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑 + 𝐸𝑘 𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑 + 𝑊𝐹𝐹
If the object moves at constant velocity
𝐸𝑘 gained =0
Page 4 of 6
APPLYING THE
LAW OF CONSERVATION OF MECHANICAL ENERGY
Applying the law of conservation of mechanical energy there is NO frictional force or
external forces.
Scenario 1 - Inclined Plane
A
𝐸𝑀 𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐴 = 𝐸𝑀 𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐵
(𝐸𝑝 + 𝐸𝑘 )𝐴 = (𝐸𝑝 + 𝐸𝑘 )𝐵
Scenario 2 - Curved Surface
B
C
𝐸𝑀 𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐴 = 𝐸𝑀 𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐵 = 𝐸𝑀 𝑎𝑡 𝐶
(𝐸𝑝 + 𝐸𝑘 )𝐴 = (𝐸𝑝 + 𝐸𝑘 )𝐵 = (𝐸𝑝 + 𝐸𝑘 )𝐶
Scenario 3 - The Pendulum
A C
𝐸𝑀 𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐴 = 𝐸𝑀 𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐵 = 𝐸𝑀 𝑎𝑡 𝐶
(𝐸𝑝 + 𝐸𝑘 )𝐴 = (𝐸𝑝 + 𝐸𝑘 )𝐵 = (𝐸𝑝 + 𝐸𝑘 )𝐶
Page 5 of 6
APPLYING THE LAW OF CONSERVATION OF ENERGY
Scenario 1 – Horizontal surface with FF
𝐸𝑀 𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐴 = 𝐸𝑀 𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐵 + 𝑊𝐹𝐹
A B (𝐸𝑘 )𝐴 = (𝐸𝑘 )𝐵 + 𝐹𝐹 ∆𝑥
Scenario 2 - Inclined Plane with FF
𝐸𝑀 𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐴 = 𝐸𝑀 𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐵 + 𝑊𝐹𝐹
B (𝐸𝑝 + 𝐸𝑘 )𝐴 = (𝐸𝑝 + 𝐸𝑘 )𝐵 + 𝐹𝐹 ∆𝑥
Scenario 3 - Curved Surface
B
C
𝐸𝑀 𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐴 = 𝐸𝑀 𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐵 + 𝑊𝐹𝐹 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝐴 𝑡𝑜 𝐵
(𝐸𝑝 + 𝐸𝑘 )𝐴 = (𝐸𝑝 + 𝐸𝑘 )𝐵 + 𝐹𝐹 ∆𝑥
OR
𝐸𝑀 𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐵 = 𝐸𝑀 𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐶 + 𝑊𝐹𝐹 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝐵 𝑡𝑜 𝐶
(𝐸𝑝 + 𝐸𝑘 )𝐵 = (𝐸𝑝 + 𝐸𝑘 )𝐶 + 𝐹𝐹 ∆𝑥
Page 6 of 6
APPLYING THE WORK- ENERGY THEOREM
Scenario 1 – Horizontal surface with FF
𝑊𝑛𝑒𝑡 = ∆𝐸𝑘
𝑭𝑨
1 1
𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 ∆𝑥 = 2 𝑚𝑣𝑓2 − 2 𝑚𝑣𝑖2
A B 𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝑚𝑎 𝑶𝑹 𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝐹𝐴 − 𝐹𝐹
If there is no friction FF = 0
Scenario 2 - Inclined Plane with FF
A
𝑊𝑛𝑒𝑡 = ∆𝐸𝑘
1 1
𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 ∆𝑥 = 2 𝑚𝑣𝑓2 − 2 𝑚𝑣𝑖2
B
𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝑚𝑎 𝑶𝑹 𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝐹𝑔 sin 𝜃 − 𝐹𝐹
If there is no friction FF = 0.
Scenario 3 - Object being pulled up on a rough inclined surface
𝑊𝑛𝑒𝑡 = ∆𝐸𝑘
FA
1 1
𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 ∆𝑥 = 2 𝑚𝑣𝑓2 − 2 𝑚𝑣𝑖2
𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝑚𝑎 𝑶𝑹 𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝐹𝐴 − 𝐹𝑔 sin 𝜃 − 𝐹𝐹
If there is no friction FF = 0
• Kinetic energy of a system is increased when net Force is in the same direction
as s or Δx
• Kinetic energy of a system is decreased when net Force is in the opposite
direction to s or Δx
Scenario 3 - Curved Surface
𝑊𝑛𝑒𝑡 = ∆𝐸𝑘
1 1
𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 ∆𝑥 = 2 𝑚𝑣𝑓2 − 2 𝑚𝑣𝑖2
𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝑚𝑎 𝑶𝑹 𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝐹𝐹
If there is no friction FF = 0
