EN PH 131 Mechanics (Dr. T.

Tang)

Work and Energy

1. Work of a force

 
 = angle between F and dr

 
  dr
= angle between F and v (since v  )
dt


Work done by force F on the particle during dt:
   
dU  F dr  F dr cos   F cos  ds ↳ is the tot product)
  
Work done by force F on the particle from r1 to r2 :

 

r2 s2
U12   dU   F dr   F cos  ds
r1 s1

product

Dimension: U    F  L  M LT 2 L  M L2T 2
Units (SI): Nm  J

1
Special cases:

 Constant force (constant magnitude and direction)

s2 s2
U12   F cos  ds  F  cos  ds CO along the
curve
can vary
s1 s1

If in addition, the path is a straight line, then

Chags
-

  constant, and
s2 *
U12  F cos   ds  F cos   s2  s1 
s1

dug
(Ortas
not

 Weight
 

r2
U12   F dr
r1

 



r2
   mgjˆ  dx iˆ  dy ˆj  dz kˆ
r1
y2

y1
 mg dy   mg  y2  y1 
Displacement in y-tinaction

 Kinetic friction
s2
U12   F cos  ds
s1
s2 s2 &
  k N cos180o ds    k Nds angle blow
-
s1 s1

If k N  constant, then

s2
U12   k N  ds   k N  s2  s1 
s1
*
length ofpath traveled by the particl

2
 Spring force
position
's' definet
unstretchet
Cunteformat) s2
by U12   F cos  ds

I
s1
s2
  ks cos180o ds
s1

~ isplacement s2
  k  s ds
from unstretched s1
position s2
s2
 k
2 s1

k 2 2
  s2  s1 
2 Stretchet unstretchet

2. Principle of work and energy

 
Start from the equations of motion:  F  ma
    
Perform dot product on both sides with v dt :   v dt  ma  v dt
F

    
 dr  
Since v 
dt
 v dt  dr   F  v dt    dr
F

   v2 dv 
Meanwhile, a  an  at  uˆn  uˆt and v  vuˆt
 dt

   v2 dv  dv
 ma  v dt  m  uˆn  uˆt    vuˆt  dt  m v dt  mvdv
 dt  dt -
     
Substitute both results into   v dt  ma  v dt
F    dr  mvdv
F

  
  F dr  
r2 v2
  mvdv
r1 v1

v2
   v2 1 2 1 2

r2
  F dr  m  mv2  mv1
r1 2 v1
2 2

*Hotal work
-

DEK* 3
The left hand side of the equation can be identified as the total work done by all the forces acting

on the particle.

Define: kinetic energy

Scalar
1 2 equation
T mv direction)
2 (no

Then the previous equation can be written as

-
U  T  T
1 2 -
2
ISEK
1 or T1   U12  T2
Ek
final

This relation is called the principle of work and energy.

Comments:

 Dimension of kinetic energy:

T   M v   M (LT 1 ) 2  M L2 T 2  U 
2

 To evaluate the work done by external forces, it is recommended that you draw an FBD

to show all the forces acting on the particle.

 Principle of work and energy allows one to solve for speed, but not direction of velocity.

Equations of motion may still be needed to determine direction.

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 Example 5.1

A block of ice with the mass of 6.00 kg is initially at rest on a horizontal surface. The coefficient
Eki=o
of the friction between the block and the surface is k  0.05 . A worker then applies a horizontal

force F to it. As a result the block moves along a straight line such that its position as function of

time is given by x  t    t 2   t 3 , where   0.200 m/s 2 and   0.0200 m/s 3 .

a) Calculate the speed of the object when t  4.00 s. v(t 4s)

=

b) Calculate the magnitude of the force F when t  4.00 s. f(t 4s) =

work
c) Calculate the work done by the force F during the first 4.00 s of the motion. Uf

ideas:
& X(t) x++Bt 0.2++0.02t
=

·
X(t) = vt) Kinematics
·
f(t)8 -

a()a
-
V(t)
of ·
Uf =
SfcosOts
am
Eo.os
I

0 0=Uf =
=

Sfostx fflx =

a) x() 0.2t +0.02,

=
v E
=

vt) 0.4+ +0.06t

=

0.06(4): es
=>

v(y) 0.4(y) =
=
+

b) a
2 0.4 0.12t
=
=
+

Now Graw IBD & KD

5
 N

to f ↓ma
frmaN
=

my
·

*
N
+
N-mg 0 =>
mg
=

↳ f-MN=
Mamg+ m(0.4+0.12t)
ma=> f=

f(x) 0.0((6rg)
=

(9.81m/s) (b) (0.4 0.12)(4)) -

+
+

Incorrect!

Uf SfKASf(anng
bounts in terms of
=
m(0.4+0Q)] 6a +
o
t and not
X!

work tone by force

Integrant & integration variable inconsistent!
correct way: turn by into it make ofconsistent
to

*
=v kxv6 (0.4t 0.06t22t
=
= =
+

It
Now sub into integral
v=
=>

((xmg m(0.4 +0.125)] (0.4t +0.86t) 1t

=

=25work i tone

Alternatively:use Workand
energy:SU..oz=
In-T,
=>
Uf+Ufk m =
-

m
Ufr =-
mamg(x2xY" =-0.05(6kg) (9.81m/s) (0.2(7) 0.02(Y)3 2
+
= -

13.185
Y(t4s)
=

Invert(6r(2.56m/s)
=
19.6t

Uf Em -Vfr= 19.66-713.18)
-
=

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Example 5.2

The 0.5-kg collar C starts from rest at A and slides with negligible friction on the fixed rod in the
8
vertical plane. The collar is subjected to the 5-N force, which is constant in direction. Determine

the speed of the collar when the angle   45o . Neglect the small dimensions of the collar.

fBD
Normalforceforthe
W

Tallyre
X
1

n
Y, R=

Y=Rcos4So
=

7
WOE GU,z Tz-T, 1:0 0,
=

= =
2: 0 45
=

+, 0, =

T2 2mrs
=

Ndoes no
(25), Uf+Umg=Imr
work

Vmg =-
mg
(72-y) = -

mg (RCos4S" -R) mgR(-cosYs)

=

V= =

ScosOts
T

anghbwfacefvelocity, which is often

0
6=r yso

v S.
cs (0
=>
=
+
304 S..fcos (01304 0
are
length

fRsin(0+30)/= fR(m>s-sin3s)
=

-
fR(sins-sin30)) myR(I-cosYS) + =
mi
=

=Ym/s

8
Example 5.3

A spring of stiffness k is compressed and suddenly released, sending the particle of mass m

sliding along the track. Determine the minimum spring compression  for which the particle

will not lose contact with the loop-the-loop at point B (express in terms of R, k, m, k). The

sliding surface is smooth except for the rough portion of length s, which equals the radius of the

track, where the coefficient of kinetic friction is  k .

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Example 5.4

A sliding box encounters a rough surface inclined at 10.0 degrees below the horizontal. At point

P, i.e. the start of the incline, the speed of the box is 4.50 m/s. The coefficient of kinetic friction

k varies on the incline as follows: k= 0.200 at point P, varies linearly with distance from point

P, and reaches a value of k= 0.700 a distance x = 12.5 m from P. Beyond x =12.5 m, k= 0.700

and is constant.

a) Determine a formula for k(x), where x denotes the distance (in meters) traveled from point P.

b) Determine the total distance the box travels along the incline before coming to rest.

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Comment: if the solution turns out to be greater than 12.5 m, then it means there is a

contradiction between the assumption made in solving the problem and the final answer. In such

case, the problem needs to be re-solved by calculating the work done within and beyond 12.5 m.

Example 5.5

As the system is released from rest, the 4-kg mass slides on the horizontal surface. The

coefficient of kinetic friction between the mass and the horizontal surface is k  0.4 . The spring

constant is k = 100 N/m, and the tension in the spring when the system is released is 50 N.

Determine the magnitude of the velocity of the masses when the 20-kg mass has fallen 1 m.

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3. Power and Efficiency

Power work done per unit time (rate of work)

  
dU F dr  dr  
P   F   F v
dt dt dt
 
v  velocity of the point at which F is applied.

Units: (SI) W (watt) = J/s = Nm /s

(FPS) hp (horsepower) 1 hp = 550 lbft /s = 746 W

Pout
Efficiency (for machines) 
Pin

Here Pout = output power, Pin = input power.

Both are usually constant during machine operation. In such situation,

dU
Constant P   U out  Pout t , U in  Pin t
dt

U out
  can also be written as   .  is dimensionless and always less than 1.
U in

Example 5.6

The motor M of the hoist shown operates with an

efficiency of   0.85 . Determine the power that

must be supplied to the motor to lift the 75-lb crate

C at the instant point P on the cable has an

acceleration of 4 ft/s2 and a velocity of 2 ft/s.

Neglect the mass of the pulley and cable.

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4. Conservation of energy

Conservative force

If the work done by a force from position 1 to position 2 is independent of path between 1 and 2,

then the force is conservative.

Weight

Going from position 1 to position 2, the work done

by weight is U12   mg  y2  y1  , independent of

the path taken from position 1 to position 2.

Weight is conservative.

Spring force

Going from position 1 to position 2, the work done

k 2 2
by the spring force is U12  
2
 s2  s1  ,
independent of the path taken from position 1 to

position 2.

Spring force is conservative.

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Kinetic friction

Consider f k  k N = constant, then work done by the kinetic

friction from position 1 to position 2 is U12   k N s ,

where s is the length of the path. The work done by kinetic

friction is therefore path-dependent.

Kinetic friction is non-conservative.

Potential energy

Potential energy is only defined for conservative forces; it is a measure of the work that can be

potentially done by a conservative force.

Weight: gravitational potential energy Vg  mgy

y is defined upwards from a reference point. At the reference point, Vg  0 .

1 2
Spring force: elastic potential energy Ve  ks
2

s is the deformation of the spring measured from its natural length. Ve  0 when the spring is

undeformed.

Work done by a conservative force

Weight: U12   mg  y2  y1   mgy1  mgy2  Vg1  Vg 2

k 2 2 k k
Spring force: U12  
2
 s2  s1   s12  s22  Ve1  Ve 2
2 2

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In general, the work done by a conservative force U12 cons  V1  V2
  V ˆ V ˆ V 
Differential form: F  V , i.e., Fx iˆ  Fy ˆj  Fz kˆ    i j kˆ 
 x y z 

Conservation of energy

Principle of work and energy states that U 1 2  T2  T1 .

Separate the forces into conservative and non-conservative ones,

  U 
1 2 cons    U12 non cons  T2  T1

Since  U  1 2 cons  V1  V2 , where V1 and V2 are respectively the total potential energy at

positions 1 and 2,

 V1  V2    U12 non cons  T2  T1  T1  V1    U12 non cons  T2  V2

If  U 
1 2 non  cons 0  T1  V1  T2  V2 (conservation of energy)

Example 5.7

A rock of mass m is tied to a cord of length R and the other end of the cord is held fixed. The

rock is given an initial tangential velocity that causes it to rotate in a vertical circle. If TA is the

tension in the cord at the top, and TB is the tension at the bottom, determine TB – TA.

(a) 0

(b) mg

(c) 2mg

(d) 6mg

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Example 5.8

A 1.00 kg block is at rest at the top of a smooth hemispherical surface of radius 2.00 m. It is

attached to an unstretched elastic cord with spring stiffness of 5.00 N/m as shown on the left

diagram below. The block is given a slight push to the right, causing it to slide down the surface.

When the block has moved to the position shown on the right diagram below:

a) How long has the cord been stretched?

b) What is the speed of the block?

c) What is the magnitude of the normal force acting between the block by the surface?

d) What is the magnitude of the tangential acceleration?

unstretched
elastic cord smooth
surface

60°
R R

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