5.

Work, energy and power

5.1 Energy conservation

Candidates should be able to:
1 understand the concept of work, and recall and use work done = force × displacement in
the direction of the force
2 recall and apply the principle of conservation of energy
3recall and understand that the efficiency of a system is the ratio of useful energy output
from the system to the total energy input
4 use the concept of efficiency to solve problems
5 define power as work done per unit time
6 solve problems using P = W/ t
7 derive P = Fv and use it to solve problems
5.2 Gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy
Candidates should be able to:
1 derive, using W = Fs, the formula ∆EP = mg∆h for gravitational potential energy changes
in a uniform gravitational field
2 recall and use the formula ∆EP = mg∆h for gravitational potential energy changes in a
uniform gravitational field
3 derive, using the equations of motion, the formula for kinetic energy EK = ½mv2
4 recall and use EK = ½mv2

Work Done

• In Physics, work is done when an object is moved over a distance by an external force
applied in the direction of its displacement.

• W=FXd
• In the diagram below, the man’s pushing force on the block is doing work as it is transferring
energy to the block (increasing its kinetic energy)

• When work is done, energy is transferred from one object to another

• Work done can be thought of as the amount of energy transferred, hence its units are
in Joules (J)
• Usually, if a force acts in the direction that an object is moving then the object will gain
energy
• If the force acts in the opposite direction to the movement then the object will lose energy

Worked example
The diagram shows a barrel of weight 2.5 × 103 N on a frictionless slope inclined at 40° to
the horizontal.
 A force is applied to the barrel to move it up the slope at constant speed.
The force is parallel to the slope.
What is the work done in moving the barrel a distance of 6.0 m up the slope?
A. 7.2 × 103 J B. 2.5 × 104 J C. 1.1 × 104 J D. 9.6 × 103 J

The Principle of Conservation of Energy

• The Principle of Conservation of Energy states that:

o Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only change from one form to another
• This means the total amount of energy in a closed system remains constant, although how
much of each form there is may change
• Common examples of energy transfers are:
o A falling object (in a vacuum): gravitational potential energy ➝ kinetic energy
o A battery: chemical energy ➝ electrical energy ➝ light energy (if connected to a bulb)
o Horizontal mass on a spring: elastic potential energy ➝ kinetic energy
Types of energy
 Energy dissipation

• When energy is transferred from one form to another, not all the energy will end up in the
desired form (or place)
• Dissipation is used to describe ways in which energy is wasted
• Any energy not transferred to useful energy stores is wasted because it is lost to the
surroundings
• These are commonly in the form of thermal (heat), light or sound energy
• What counts as wasted energy depends on the system
• For example, in a television:
electrical energy ➝ light energy + sound energy + thermal energy
•
o Light and sound energy are useful energy transfers whereas thermal energy (from the heating
up of wires) is wasted

• Another example, in a heater:

electrical energy ➝ thermal energy + sound energy
•
o The thermal energy is useful, whereas sound is not

Worked example
The diagram shows a rollercoaster going down a track.
The rollercoaster takes the path A → B → C → D.

Which statement is true about the energy changes that occur for the rollercoaster down this
track?
A. KE - GPE - GPE - KE
B. KE - GPE - KE - GPE
C. GPE - KE - KE - GPE
D. GPE - KE - GPE - KE
ANSWER: D

o At point A:
▪ The rollercoaster is raised above the ground, therefore it has GPE
▪ As it travels down the track, GPE is converted to KE and the roller coaster speeds up
o At point B:
▪ KE is converted to GPE as the rollercoaster rises up the loop
o At point C:
▪ This GPE is converted back into KE as the rollercoaster travels back down the loop
o At point D:
▪ The flat terrain means the rollercoaster only has KE
Efficiency of a System

• The efficiency of a system is the ratio of the useful energy output from the system to the
total energy input
o If a system has high efficiency, this means most of the energy transferred is useful
o If a system has low efficiency, this means most of the energy transferred is wasted
• Multiplying this ratio by 100 gives the efficiency as a percentage
• The efficiency is calculated using the equation:
Efficiency (%) = Useful Work Done (J) / Total Energy Input (J)
Efficiency (%) = Useful Energy Output (J) / Total Energy Input (J)
Efficiency (%) = Useful Power Output (W) / Total Power Input (W)

Worked example
Worked example
The diagram shows a pump called a hydraulic ram.

In one such pump, the long approach pipe holds 700 kg of water. A valve shuts when the
speed of this water reaches 3.5 m s-1 and the kinetic energy of this water is used to lift a small
quantity of water by a height of 12m.The efficiency of the pump is 20%. Which mass of
water could be lifted 12 m?

A. 6.2 kg B. 4.6 kg C. 7.3 kg D. 0.24 kg

• The pump is what converts the water’s kinetic energy into gravitational potential energy
• Since its efficiency is 20%, you would multiply the kinetic energy by 0.2 since only 20% of
the kinetic energy will be converted (not 20% of the gravitational potential energy)
Defining Power

• The power of a machine is the rate at which it transfers energy

• Since work done is equal to the energy transferred, power can also be defined as the rate of
doing work or the work done per unit time
• The SI unit for power is Watts (W) where 1 W = 1 J s-1
• Power is the rate of change of work P = W/t = F . d /t = F. V
P = E/t
You may be familiar with labels on lightbulbs which indicate their power such as 60 W or
100 W. These tell you about an energy transferred by an electrical current rather than by a
force doing work
Worked example
SOLVING PROBLEMS INVOLVING POWER
A car engine exerts the following force for 1.0 km in 200 s.

What is the average power developed by the engine?

Derivation of P = Fv
• Moving power is defined by the equation:
 • This equation is only relevant where a constant force moves a body at constant
velocity. Power is required in order to produce an acceleration
• The force must be applied in the same direction as the velocity

Derivation

• The derivation for this equation is shown below:

Worked example
A lorry moves up a road that is inclined at 14.5° to the horizontal.
The lorry has mass 3500 kg and is travelling at a constant speed of 9.4 m s -1. The force
due to air resistance is negligible.Calculate the useful power from the engine to move
the lorry up the road.

Derivation of GPE = mgh

• Gravitational potential energy is energy stored in a mass due to its position in a
gravitational field
• When a heavy object is lifted, work is done since the object is provided with an upward
force against the downward force of gravity
o Therefore energy is transferred to the object
• This equation can therefore be derived from the work done
 Gravitational Potential Energy
• Gravitational potential energy (GPE) is energy stored in a mass due to its position in a
gravitational field
o If a mass is lifted up, it will gain GPE (converted from other forms of energy)
o If a mass falls, it will lose GPE (and be converted to other forms of energy)
• The equation for gravitational potential energy for energy changes in a uniform
gravitational field is:
 Equation for GPE

GPE: The energy an object has when lifted up

• The potential energy on the Earth’s surface at ground level is taken to be equal to 0
• This equation is only relevant for energy changes in a uniform gravitational field (such
as near the Earth’s surface)
GPE v Height graphs

• The two graphs below show how GPE changes with height for a ball being thrown up in
the air and when falling down

Graphs showing the linear relationship between GPE and height

• Since the graphs are straight lines, GPE and height are said to have
a linear relationship
• These graphs would be identical for GPE against time instead of height

Worked example
To get to his apartment a man has to climb five flights of stairs.

The height of each flight is 3.7 m and the man has a mass of 74 kg.
What is the approximate gain in the man's gravitational potential energy during the
climb?

A. 13 000 J B. 2700 J C. 1500 J D. 12 500 J

Derivation of KE = 1/2mv2
• Kinetic energy is energy an object has due to its motion (or velocity)
• A force can make an object accelerate; work is done by the force and energy is
transferred to the object
• Using this concept of work done and an equation of motion, the extra work done due to
an object's speed can be derived
• The derivation for this equation is shown below:
 Kinetic Energy
• Kinetic energy is energy an object has due to its motion (or velocity)
o The faster an object is moving, the greater its kinetic energy
• When an object is falling, it is gaining kinetic energy since it is gaining speed. This
energy transferred from the gravitational potential energy it is losing
• An object will maintain this kinetic energy unless its speed changes

Equation for Kinetic energy

KE: The energy an object has when its moving

Worked example
A body travelling with a speed of 12 m s-1 has kinetic energy 1650 J.If the speed of the
body is increased to 45 m s-1, what is its new kinetic energy?