Republic of the Philippines

DR. EMILIO B. ESPINOSA, SR. MEMORIAL STATE

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY
Masbate State College
www.debesmscat.edu.ph
Mandaon, Masbate

TOPIC 4
WORK, ENERGY AND POWER

INTRODUCTION

Energy plays an important role in our daily activities. It is one of the major building blocks of the
modern civilization. In this chapter we are going to study all about work, energy and power.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Explain work and the effect relative directions of force and displacement on work

• Explain ad apply the work-energy theorem

• Define kinetic and potential energy

• Compare and contrast conservative and non-conservative forces

• Explain the law of conservation of energy

• Solve problems related to work, energy and power

KEY CONCEPTS:

• The work done on a system by a constant force is the product of the component of the force in
the direction of motion times the distance through which the force acts

• Work-Enegry Theorem states that the work done by the net force on a particle equals the change in
the particle’s

kinetic energy.

• A conservative force is one for which work depends only on the starting and ending points of a
motion, not on the path taken.

• . A nonconservative force is one for which work depends on the path taken

• The law of conservation of energy states that the total energy is constant in any process. Energy
may change in form or be transferred from one system to another, but the total remains the same.

• Power is the rate at which work is done

COURSE CONTENT:

WORK
It is the transfer of energy from one physical system to another, especially to a body through the
application of a force that moves it in the direction of the same force. It is calculated as the product of the
force and the distance through which the body moves. It is expressed in jules, ergs, and foot.pounds.
Work is defined by the equation:

Wk = Fd Wk = Fdcosθ

Wk = work
F = force
d = distance
m = mass
a = gravitational force (constant)
v = velocity
R = radius

F = ma (newtons law)
𝑚𝑣 2
F= (uniform circular motion)
𝑅

CONVERSION:
1 Joules = 1 N.m
1 Joules = 0.7376 lb.ft (british)
1 lb.ft = 1.356 J (british)

Dynes.cm = ergs

POWER
It is the time rate at which work is done. Power is defined by the equation:
𝑊𝑘 𝑚𝑔ℎ 𝑊
P = Fv = = =
𝑡 𝑡 𝑡

Where:
P = Power =N.m/s
F = Force =J/s
v = Velocity =watts(w)
Wk = Work
t = Time
 𝑚
kg. 2 .m
𝑠
m = mass of the object = 𝑠
𝑁.𝑚
g = gravitational force constant = 𝑠
h = height
𝐽
W = weight =𝑠
= watts(w)
CONVERSION:
550 𝑓𝑡.𝑙𝑏 𝑓𝑡.𝑙𝑏
1 Hp = = 33,000 𝑚𝑖𝑛
𝑠
1 Hp = 746watts
1KWH = 3.6x106 J = 3.6 MJ
1KWH = 1000watts

ENERGY
It is the work done by a capable physical system, changing from its actual state to a specified reference
state. The total work done includes the general contribution of potential energy and kinetic energy.

KINETIC ENERGY (K)

The kinetic energy of a body is equal to the total work that was done to accelerate it from rest to its
present speed. The kinetic energy is defined by the following equations:

1
K = 2mv2

Wt = K2 – K1 → energy work theorem

Wt = ∆𝐾
Where:
K = kinetic energy
m = Mass
v = velocity
Wt = total work
K2 = Final kinetic energy
K1 = Initial kinetic energy
∆𝐾 = Change in kinetic energy

GRAVITATIONAL POTENTIAL ENERGY (U)

It is the work done on a body with a constant gravitational force. The gravitational potential energy is
defined by the following equations:

U = mgh
WT = U2 – U1 = ∆𝑈
Where:
U = gravitational potential energy
m = mass
g = gravitational constant
h = height
WT = total work
U2 = final potential energy
U1 = initial potential energy

Example 1:
1. Determine the work done by each force and the total work done that is, if the box is displaced by
800cm.

Given:
F1 = 900dynes
Ø1 = 35o
F2 = 500dynes
Ø2 = 40o
F3 = 400dynes
f = 400dynes
s = 800cm

Required:
Work done by each force and the total work done.

a) wk1 = F1scosØ1
wk1 = (900cos35o dynes)(800cm)
wk1 = 5.89x105 ergs

wk2 = F2scosØ2
wk2 = (500cos40o dynes)(800cm)
wk2 = 3.06x105 ergs

wk3 = F3s
wk3 = (400dynes)(800cm)
wk3 = 3.2x105 ergs

wf = fs
wf = (400dynes)(800cm)
wf = 3.2x105 ergs

b) wT = wk1 + wk2 + wk3 – wf

wT = 5.89x105 ergs + 3.06x105 ergs + 3.2x105 ergs - 3.2x105 ergs
wT = 8.95x105 ergs

Example 2:
A crate with a mass of 50kg is pushed along a floor with a force of 20N for
a distance of 5m. Calculate the work done.

Solution:
Given: F = 20N ; s = 5m ; Wk =?
Wk = F x d
Wk = 20N x 5m
Wk = 100N.m
Wk = 100 J

Example 3:
How far must a 5N force pull a 50g toy car if 30J of energy are
transferred?

Solution:
Given: Wk = 30J ; F = 5N ; s = ?
Wk = F x d
𝑊𝑘
s=
𝐹

30
s= 5
s = 6m
Example 4:
A man exerts a force of 2kN on a boulder but fails to move it.
Calculate the work done.
Solution:
Given: F = 2kN ; s = 0 ; Wk = ?
Wk = F x d
Wk = 2000 x 0
Wk = 0

Example 5:
A football of mass 2.5kg is lifted up to the top of a cliff that is 180m
high. How much potential energy does the football gain?
Solution:
Use
U = mgh
𝑚
= 2.5kg x 9.8𝑠 2 x 180m
𝑚
=24.5kg. 2 x 180m
𝑠
=24N x 180m
=4410N.m
U = 4410J

Example 6:
Compute the power output of a forklift truck that lifts a crate with a force of 400N at a speed of
2m/s.

Given:
F = 400N
v = 2m/s

Required:
Power (P) = ?

Solution:
P = Fv
P = (400N)(2m/s)
P = 800watts

Example 7:

A 500N man climbs a 15m vertical rope at a constant time of 10s. What is his power output?

Given:
w = 500N
h = 15m
t = 10s

Required:
 Power(P) = ?

Solution:
𝑚𝑔ℎ
P= 𝑡
𝑤ℎ
P=
𝑡
500𝑁(15𝑚)
P= 10𝑠
P = 750watts

Example 8:
A person with a mass of 70kg runs up a flight of stairs with a vertical height
of 5m. If the trip takes 7s to complete, calculate the person’s
power.

Solution: Given: m = 70kg ; h=5m ; t=7s

𝑚𝑔ℎ
P= 𝑡
𝑚
70𝑘𝑔 𝑥 9.8 2 𝑥 5𝑚
𝑠
P= 7𝑠

3430𝑁.𝑚
Power = 7𝑠

3430𝐽
Power = 7𝑠

Power = 490Watts

Example 9:
A lift motor has to move a fully laden lift 4m between floors in 1.5s.
The lift has a mass of 1850kg (ignore friction).
a) Calculate the weight of the fully laden lift.
W = mg = 1850 x 9.8 = 18130N

b) What is the work done by the motor?

Wk = F x d
= 18500N x 4m
Wk = 74000J

c) What is the minimum power of the motor to raise the lift at a

steady speed?
Steady speed means forces are balanced.
𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘
Power = 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒

74000
Power = 1.5

Power = 49333.333W
Example 10:
1. A dump truck is moving at 100 km/hr. If the mass of the truck is 950kg. What is its kinetic energy?

Given:
v = 100 km/hr
m = 950kg

Required:
K=?

Solution:
Conversion:
1km = 1000m
1hr = 3600s
𝑘𝑚 1000𝑚 1ℎ𝑟
v = 100 x x
ℎ𝑟 1𝑘𝑚 3600𝑠
v = 27.78m/s

𝑚𝑣 2
K= 2
𝑚
(950𝑘𝑔)(27.78 )2
𝑠
K= 2
K = 366.6KJ

2. How much force is required to accelerate a 1.5x10 3kg bus from rest to a speed of 20m/s at a
distance of 80m?

Given:
m = 1.5x103kg
v = 20m/s
s = 80m

Required:
F=?

Solution:
WT = K2 – K1 ; K1 = 0
𝑚𝑣 2 (1.5𝑥103 𝑘𝑔)(20𝑚/𝑠)2
WT = K2 = = = 300kJ
2 2
𝑊𝑘 300𝑘𝐽 300,000𝑁.𝑚
Wk = Fd :, F = = = = 3750N or 3.75KN
𝑠 80𝑚 𝑚

Example 11:
How much kinetic energy has a 160g cricket ball when it is thrown at
a speed of 22m/s?
Solution:
1𝑚𝑣 2
k= 2
=0.5 x 0.16 x (22)2
= 0.5 x 0.16 x 484
k = 38.72J

Example 12:
1. What is the potential energy for an 800kg elevator at the top of the empire state building, 380m
above street level? Assume that the potential energy at street level is zero.

Given:
m = 800kg
h = 380m

Required:
U=?

Solution:
U = mgh = (800kg)(9.8m/s2)(380m) = 2.98x106 J or 2.98MJ

2. A 400lb load of bricks is to be lifted to the top of a scaffold 28ft. high. How much work must be
done against gravity to lift it?

Given:
w = 400lb
h = 28ft

Required:
Wk = ?

Solution:
WG = U2 – U1 ; U1 = 0
WG = U2 = mgh = wh = (400lb)(28ft) = 11, 200lb.ft

LAW OF CONSERVATION OF ENERGY

The energy is a quantity that can be converted from one form to another but cannot be created nor
destroyed. The law of conservation of energy is defined by the following equations:

∆𝐾 + ∆𝑈 + ∆𝑈𝐼𝑁𝑇 = 0
∆𝐾 = 𝐾2 − 𝐾1
∆𝑈 = 𝑈2 − 𝑈1

Where:
∆𝐾 = total kinetic energy
∆𝑈 = total potential energy
∆𝑈𝐼𝑁𝑇 = total internal energy
Example:
1. For the figure shown, determine the velocity of the ball from point A to point B using the law of
conservation of energy. Neglect internal energy.

A Given:
h = 2m
2m

B Required:
v=?

Solution:
∆𝐾 + ∆𝑈 + ∆𝑈𝐼𝑁𝑇 = 0
∆𝑈 = 𝑈2 - 𝑈1
∆𝑈 = - 𝑈1
∆𝐾 = 𝐾2 - 𝐾1
∆𝐾 = 𝐾2
𝐾2 - 𝑈1 = 0
𝐾2 = 𝑈1
𝑚𝑣 2
= mgh
2
𝑣2
= gh
2
2
𝑣 = 2gh
v = √2𝑔ℎ
v = √2(9.8𝑚/𝑠 2 )(2𝑚)
v = 6.261m/s

References:

1. Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 10th ed., by Raymond A. Serway and John W. Cewett,
c2018 Cengage Learning Asia Pte.Ltd.