Module 11

Work, Energy, Power and Machines

What this module is about

Energy is an important concept in every day life. It appears as gravitational potential

energy of objects raised to a certain height, as elastic potential energy in a stretched rubber
band, as kinetic energy of moving objects, or as chemical energy in the food that we eat.
Closely associated with energy is the concept of work. Energy is transferred to another
system when you do work. Power provides a measure of the energy expended per unit time.
Efficiency of machines provides a measure of the energy converted into useful work.

This module is about work, power, and energy. It consists of the following lessons:

 Lesson 1 - Work
 Lesson 2 - Energy
 Lesson 3 - Machines and Power

What you are expected to learn

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. define work in a scientific sense;

2. calculate the work done by a force that moves an object through a certain
displacement;
3. show that doing work on a body increases its energy;
4. distinguish between kinetic and potential energy;
5. calculate the kinetic energy and the potential energy of a free falling object;
6. show that mechanical energy of a free falling body is conserved;
7. identify some sources of energy;
8. show how simple machines like lever and inclined plane help us do work;
9. distinguish between ideal and actual mechanical advantages of machines;
10. calculate the mechanical advantages and efficiency of machines; and
11. compare the power ratings of some electrical appliances.

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 How to learn from this module

In order to achieve the objectives of this module, here’s a simple guide for you:

1. Read and follow instructions carefully.

2. Answer the pretest before going through the lessons.
3. Take note and record points for clarification.
4. Compare your answers against the key to answers found at the end of the
module.
5. Do the activities to fully understand each lesson.
6. Answer the self check to monitor what you learned in each lesson.
7. Answer the posttest after you have gone over all the lessons.

What to do before (Pretest)

Direction: Choose the letter of the best answer and write this on your answer sheet.

1) In which of the following situations is work being done from a scientist’s perspective?
a. a person sitting on the chair c. a person walking with a load on its head
b. a person pushing the wall d. a person lifting a box

2) Which of these equations gives the amount of work done?

a. Work = F/d c. Work = Fd
b. Work = Fgd d. Work = F/t

3) How much work is done in holding a 1-kg object 2 m above the ground?
a. zero c. 9.8
b. 2 d. 19.6

4) How much work was done on an object when a constant force of 20 N pushed it 2 m
away?
a. zero c. 20
b, 10 d. 40

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Refer to this situation in answering questions 5-7.

An object falls freely from a certain height.

5) Which of the following happens to the object? It

a. loses PE and gains KE. c. loses both PE and KE.
b. gain PE and loses KE. d. gains both PE and KE.

6) The PE of the object at the highest point compared to its KE at the lowest point is
a. lesser. c. equal.
b. greater. d. not related.

7) The total mechanical energy of the object at the highest point compared to its total
mechanical energy at the lowest point is
a. lesser. c. equal.
b. greater. d. not related.

8) What device expends the greatest amount of energy per second?(Use the data in the
table below)

Electrical Device Power Rating (W)

Flat iron 1000
Electric fan 75
Television set 70
Fluorescent lamp 20

a. flat iron c. television set

b. electric fan d. fluorescent lamp

9) Which device expends the least?

a. flat iron c. television set
b. electric fan d. fluorescent lamp

10) What is the efficiency of a machine with AMA of 2.7 and IMA of 3?
a. 27% c. 90%
b. 30% d. 111%

For questions 11 - 13, refer to the situation:

A box weighing 1500 N is pulled along an inclined plane 4 m long and 1.5 m
high. A force of 700 N is exerted in pulling the load.

11) What is the work input in joule?

a. 700 c. 2250
b. 1500 d. 2800

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4
12) What is the work output in joule?
a. 700 c. 2250
b. 1500 d. 2800

13) What is the AMA of the inclined plane?

a. 1.5 c. 2.6
b. 2.2 d. 4

14. The power in watts when a 400 N weight is lifted to a height of 6 m in 2 minutes is
a. 10
b. 20
c. 30
d. 40
15. Which of the following is NOT a unit of power?
a. watt
b. horsepower
c. joule second
d. Newton meter per second

Familiarity with the following terms will help you get the most from this module:

Terms Definition
1. Work - The product of a constant force magnitude and the
magnitude of the displacement

2. Joule - The unit of work which is the special name for Newton
meter

3. Energy - The capacity to do work

4. Potential - The energy due to position

energy

5. Kinetic - The energy due to motion

energy

6. Power - The rate of doing work

7. Watt - The unit of power which is the special name for Joule
per second

8.Machines - Devices that help us do work

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 9. Actual - It determines the number of times a machine multiplies
Mechanical force
Advantage

10. Ideal - The ratio of the effort distance to the resistance

Mechanical distance
Advantage

11. Efficiency - The ratio of the actual mechanical advantage to the

ideal mechanical advantage, or the ratio of the work
output to the work input

Lesson 1 Work

Think of the many things you do at home. Do you wash dishes? Do you fetch water,
scrub or sweep the floor? What does your father or any member of your family do for a
living?

In everyday usage, work is done whenever force is applied. You do work if you exert
effort and earn for such effort. In science, however, work has a different meaning. Work is
done on a body when force is applied causing that body to move. To understand more
about work, do the following activity.

What you will do

Activity 1.1 Doing Work

1. Lift a book.
2. Push a table.
3. Answer the following questions
a. Did you apply force in lifting the book? in pushing a table?
b. If yes in each case, in what direction did you apply force?
c. Did the objects move?
d. If yes, in what direction was the book moved? In what direction was the
table moved?

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 When you lifted the book, force was applied upward. The force you applied has a
magnitude equal to the magnitude of the book’s weight. The book also moved upward. In
this case, work was done in scientific sense.
When you pushed a table causing it to move along the floor, work was also done.
The table moved along the same direction as the force applied.

In science, you do work by exerting force on the object through a distance. The force
you exert on the object moves the object from one place to another, that is, the object
undergoes a displacement.

Fig. 1.1. Work is done when a constant force F acts in the same direction as the
displacement, d.

Work done, W, on a body by a constant force, F, acting on the body is defined as the
product of the magnitude of the force and the distance through which the object moves, or in
equation,
W = Fd

From the equation, work done on the body is greater if F is greater, or if d is greater,
or if both F and d are greater. What is the SI unit of work? Yes, you are right! The SI unit for
work is
Unit of work = unit of F x unit of d
= newton x meter (N-m)

The unit N-m is given a special name, Joule, in honor of James Prescott Joule.
Therefore
1 joule (J) = 1 newton-meter (N-m)

What is the unit of work if F is in dynes and d is in cm? That’s right! The unit of work
is dyne-cm, which is given a special name of erg. So,

1 erg = 1 dyne-cm

Now consider the situation that follows. A bag is pulled as shown in Fig. 1.2. Is work
done on the bag?

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 Fig. 1.2 A bag pulled a distance, d

A force F acts along the handle of the bag and makes an angle θ with the surface of
the table. A component of this force, Fcosθ, moves the bag along the surface of the table.
The work done on the bag is the product of this component of the force and the magnitude
of the displacement, d, along which the bag moves.

W = Fcos θ d

where θ is the angle (180º or less) between the direction of F and the direction of d. The F
and d are the magnitudes of the force and displacement vectors, respectively. They are
both scalar quantities. Also, we assume that the force and θ are constant while the object is
having a displacement.

Now, going back to the first two examples, wherein the book is lifted and the table is
pushed, could the equation

W= F cos θ d
be used? Let’s analyze.

When the bag is lifted, the direction of the force and the displacement is the same.
Therefore, θ is 0, and cos θ = 1.

The equation

W= F cos θ d

becomes

W= Fd

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 What you will do
Self-Test 1.1

Let’s see if you understand the scientific meaning of work. Fill in the table by writing
W if work is done and N if no work is done on the object.

Activity Work, W or No work, N

1. pushing a jeepney a certain
distance
2. pushing a wall
3. holding a book
4. lifting a suitcase
5. taking a load upstairs

In pushing a jeepney a certain distance, lifting a suitcase and taking a load upstairs,
work is done on the jeepney, on the suitcase and on the load, respectively. In holding a
book, although force is exerted, this force does not move the book. It only supports the
book, otherwise it will fall. Hence, no work is done on holding a book. In pushing the wall,
although force is also applied, there is no displacement, so no work is done on the wall as
well.

Remember this:

Work is done only when force applied on the object causes the object to
have a displacement in the same direction as the direction of the force, or the
component of a force.

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Example 1
How much work is done when a force of 500 N is used to slide a heavy cabinet 1
meter across the floor?
Solution: a) Write the given quantities.
The given quantities are:
F = 500 N
D = 1m
b) Write the equation.
The equation for work is
W = Fd
c) Substitute the given quantities into the equation
W = 500 N x 1m
d) Do the mathematical operation required in the problem
Multiply to find the answer: 500 N-m
e) Answer: W = 500 N-m or 500 joules

Example 2
How much work is done in lifting a 2 kg book onto a shelf 1.5 m high?
Solution: a) Write the given quantities.
The given quantities are:
m = 2 kg
d = 1.5 m
b) Write the equation.
The equation for work is
W = Fd
But the magnitude of F = magnitude of the weight which is
W = mg
Substitute the equation for the weight into the equation
W = Fd
= mgd
The equation W = mgd is the working equation

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 c) Substitute the given quantities into the working equation
W = 2 kg x 9.8 m/s2 x 1.5 m
d) Do the needed mathematical operation:
W = 19.6 kg m/s2 x 1.5 m
= 29.40 kg m/s2 x m
e) Answer: W = 29.40 N-m or
29.40 joules
Example 3
A cart load of sand is pulled 5 m across the ground as shown below. The tension in
the rope is 300 N and is directed 30 degrees above the horizontal. How much work is done
in pulling the load?

5m

Figure 1.3 A cart load of sand is pulled across the ground

Solution: a. Write the given quantities.

The given quantities are:
d=5m
F = 300 N
θ = 30 degrees
b. Write the equation:
The basic equation is also the working equation, which is
Work = Fcos θ d
c. Substitute the given quantities into the working equation:
Work = 300 N x cos 30o x 5 m
= 300 N x 0.866 x 5 m
= 1 299 joules

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 What you will do
Self-Test 1.2

Let us see if you can follow the solutions given in the sample problems. Below are
simple problems for you to solve. Follow the procedures in solving the problems.
Problems:

1. Suppose you lift a 3 kg book from the table onto a shelf 2 m high. a) What force
must you apply to move the book at constant velocity? b) What work is done by
this force?

2. How much work is done to carry a 3 kg book from one shelf to another 4 cm
away but at the same level?

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Lesson 2 Energy

You always hear the word energy. Comments like “You feel tired because you do
not have energy” or “You could not raise your hand because you do not have energy” are
quite common. In this lesson you will learn more about energy. Are you ready to do the
following activity?

What you will do

Activity 2.1 Energy: an ability to do work

1. Get a big nail and push its sharp end on a wooden block or on the soil to
make it stand.
2. Hold a piece of rock above the nail about half a meter from the nail’s head.
3. Let the rock fall straight onto the nail. Be careful. You might drop the rock
onto your foot.
4. Observe what happens to the nail.

When you dropped the rock onto the nail, you observed that the nail was pushed
down the wood or the soil. You could not push the nail if you just held the rock close to the
nail. What you did was to raise the rock and to let it fall on the nail. Did you exert force
when you raised the rock? How much force did you exert? Was work done on the nail?

When you raised the rock to a certain height, you actually exerted force to
overcome its weight. The force you exerted had the same magnitude as the rock’s weight
but opposite in direction. Since the rock was moved in the same direction as the force
applied, work was done on the rock. In that raised position, the rock had the ability to do
work. So, when you let the rock fall on the nail, the nail was pushed onto the ground or onto
the wooden block. The rock did work on the nail. The rock, in its raised position, had the
ability to do work or its energy increases. This energy was gravitational potential energy.
Gravitational potential energy is energy due to the object’s position with reference to the
earth’s surface.

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 What you will do
Activity 2.2

1. Get a plastic ruler that could be bent without breaking.

2. Hold it on the table, then, bend it. Place a piece of chalk near the bent end of the ruler.

(a) (b)
Fig. 2.1 a) A ruler is bent with a piece of chalk near the bent end. b) The bent end is
released

3. Release the bent end of the ruler. Describe what happened to the chalk.

Work was done when you bent the ruler. Energy is transferred from you to the
ruler. Because of its bent position, the ruler possesses energy. This energy due to its bent
position is elastic potential energy. If you place an object beside the bent end of the ruler,
and then, release the bent end of the ruler, the object would be hit and pushed to a
distance.
A slingshot with its rubber stretched also has elastic potential energy. If a stone is
placed in between the stretched rubber, the slingshot can do work by releasing the rubber
from your hold.

Gravitational Potential Energy

One of the most familiar forms of potential energy is gravitational potential energy.
In the previous section of this lesson, you learned about potential energy. You also learned
about what gravitational potential energy is. In this section, you will learn how to determine
gravitational potential energy. Consider again an object of mass, m, lifted to a certain height,
h. Work done on the object gives this object gravitational potential energy. The change in
the object’s gravitational potential energy is the work done in raising it to that height. Since
the work done on the object to raise it at that height is given by the equation,

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 W = mgh
then, the change in the object’s gravitational potential energy is

∆PE = mgh

where h = the height above the reference level. If the object is raised from the ground, the
reference level is the ground. If the object, however, is raised from the table, the table is the
reference level.

Using the equation we have derived, could you give the unit of gravitational
potential energy? Yes, you are right! The unit of gravitational energy is the same as the unit
of work, joule. To understand more about gravitational potential energy, let us use the
equation in solving problems. Study very well the following sample problems.

Example 1

How much potential energy is gained by a 2-kg book when it is raised 1.5 m above
the table?

Take note that we are looking for the increase in gravitational potential energy with
reference to the table top. So, the zero level is the table top.

Solution:

Let h = height above the table top

1. Write the equation that relates the given quantities and the unknown
quantities. This equation is ∆PE = mgh
2. Substitute the given quantities into the working equation. The basic
equation is also the working equation

∆PE = mgh
∆PE = (2 kg)(9.8 m/s2)(1.5 m)
= 29.4 joules

Example 2

A book with mass of 1.5 kg on a table that is 1.2 m high is raised onto a shelf. The
shelf is 2 m from the table top. a) What is the gravitational potential energy of the book
relative to the table top? b) What is the gravitational potential energy of the book relative to
the floor?

a) The zero level is the table top.

Solution:

1. The equation is: ∆PE = mgh

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 2. Substitute the given quantities into the equation.
∆PE = (1.5 kg)(9.8m/s2)(2m)
= 29.4 joules

b) The zero level is the floor.

Solution:

1. The equation is: ∆PE = mgh

2. Substitute the given quantities into the equation, then do the necessary
mathematical operations. We have

∆PE = (1.5 Kg)(9.8 m/s2)( 3.2 m)

= 47.04 joules

Are you ready to do the practice exercises? If not, go over the examples and study
the solutions. Once you are ready, go on with the practice exercises.

What you will do

Self-Test 2.1

Read and understand the problems very well. Write your answers on a piece of paper.

1. A bag of groceries with mass of 5 kg is lifted to a height of 1 m. What is the increase

in potential energy of the bag at this point?

2. What is the increase in potential energy of a 5-kg barbell when it is lifted by the
weightlifter 2 m above the floor?

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Kinetic Energy

The total work done on a body is related not only to the body’s displacement but also
to the changes in its speed. Work done is transformed into energy due to motion, or kinetic
energy.

To derive an expression for kinetic energy, let us analyze what happens to a body
when a constant force, F, is exerted on it along the horizontal. Due to this force, the body
moves a distance, d. We say work is done on the body, which is, W = Fd. Using Newton’s
second law, we can replace the force by the product of mass and acceleration giving us

W = (ma)(d).

If the body was initially moving in the direction of F with a speed v1, then after moving
through a distance d it will have a speed v2. Using the equation for motion you studied in the
previous modules, this speed may be expressed as

v22 = v12 + 2ad

Rearranging the last expression and multiplying by m/2, we have,

2ad + v12 = v2
2ad = v22 - v12
(2ad = v22 - v12) m/2
mad = ½ mv22 – ½ mv12.

But, the expression (ma)(d) = W, so,

W = ½ mv22 – ½ mv12.

Recall that work done on the body in this case changes the body’s motion. The
quantity ½ mv2 is called kinetic energy, KE. The equation W = ½ mv22 – ½ mv12 means that
the work done on a body by the net force acting on it is equal to the change in kinetic energy
of the body.

Think about it!

What is the SI unit of kinetic energy?

Using the equation KE = ½ mv2, we can derive the SI unit of kinetic energy. Since the
SI unit of m is kg and the SI unit of v is m/s, then, the SI unit of KE is

KE = ½ mv2

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 joule = kg(m/s)2
= kgm2/s2
The unit, kgm /s may also be written as (kgm/s2)(m), or N-m. Do you still recall that
2 2

the unit N-m was given a special name, joule?

Let us use the equation we just derived to solve problems on kinetic energy.

Example 1

A 5-kg body moves with a speed of 7m/s. What is its kinetic energy?

Solution:

1. The basic equation is KE = ½ mv2

2. Substitute the given quantities into the equation. We have

KE = ½ mv2
= ½ (5 kg)(7 m/s)2
= 122.5 joules

Example 2

What is the kinetic energy of a baseball with mass of 2kg moving at a speed of 4m/s?

Solution:

1. The basic equation is KE = ½ mv2.

2. Substitute the given quantities into the equation:

KE = ½ mv2
= ½ (2 kg)(4 m/s)2
= 16 joules

What you will do

Activity 2.3

Study the example problems using the equation for kinetic energy. Then, try solving
the problems that follow.

1. A 2-kg fish is swimming with a speed of 0.1 m/s. What is its KE?

2. What is the KE of a 5-kg object moving at a speed of 4 m/s?

What you will do

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 Self-Test 2.2

Tell whether each statement is true or false:

1. When work that is done on a body increases its velocity, then, there is an increase in
the kinetic energy of the body.
2. The kinetic energy of a more massive object at rest is greater than that of a less
massive moving object.
3. If the velocity of a moving object is doubled, its kinetic energy is also doubled.
4. The unit of kinetic energy is the same as the unit of work.
5. The unit kg m2/s2 is also a unit of energy.

Conservation of Mechanical Energy

Let us try to examine what happens to the mechanical energy of a free falling body.
But, before that, let us first recall the concept of free fall.

What you will do

Activity 2.4

Look at Fig. 2.2 below showing the position of a free falling body. Using
the data in the figure, answer the following questions:

1. What is the speed of the object when it is still held at the starting point?
2. What happens to the speed of the object as it falls?
3. What is the change in velocity per unit time or the acceleration of the object?

44.1 m

Fig. 2.2 An object held a certain height is released

4. What is the total distance of the object from the ground when it is at the
starting point (t = 0 s)?
5. What happens to the object’s distance from the ground as it falls?

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 Did you observe that the speed of the object increased as it falls? The speed
increased at the rate of 9.8 m/s every second or its acceleration was 9.8 m/s 2. Do you
remember that this is the acceleration due to gravity?

Did you also observe that the total distance of the object from the ground at the initial
position was 78. 4 m, and as the object fell, its distance from the ground decreased?

Now let us determine what happens to the free falling object’s kinetic energy and
potential energy.

What you will do

Activity 2.5

1. Study the solution in determining the kinetic energy and the potential energy at t = 0 s
and t = 1 s. Then, compute the KE and PE at the other remaining positions. Enter
your results in the summary in Table 2.1 (Assume mass of the object is 1.0 kg).

2. Compute also the change in PE and the change in KE at every position and enter
results in Table 2.1

Example 1

At t = 0 s, the object is 78.4 m from the ground. Assuming that the mass of the object
is 1 kg, and using the equations for PE, we have

PE = mgh
= (1 kg)(9.8 m/s2 )(78.4 m)
= 768.32 J
The KE at t = 0 s is,

KE = ½ mv2
= ½ (1kg)(0)2
=0
The total mechanical energy of the free falling object at t = 0s is

TME = PE + KE
= 768.32 + 0
= 768.32 J

At t = 1 s, the potential energy is,

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 PE = mgh
PE = (1 kg)(9.8 m/s2)(78.4 m – 4.9 m)
PE = (9.8kg m/s2)(73.5 m)
PE = 720.30 J

The kinetic energy at t = 1 s is,

KE = ½ mv2
KE = ½(1 kg)(9.8 m/s)2
KE = 48.02 J

The total mechanical energy is,

TME = PE + KE
TME = 720.30 J + 48.02 J
TME = 768.32 J

Table 2.1 Summary of the Mechanical Energy of a Free Falling Body

Time (s) PE (J) KE (J) TME (PE + KE) Change in Change in

J PE (J) KE (J)
0 768.32 0 768.32 0 0
1 720.30 48.02 768.32 48.02 48.02
2
3
4

Were you able to complete the table correctly. If yes, congratulations! You may
proceed to the next activity. If not, go over your solutions again. Do not stop unless you
master the computations, and you have completely filled up the blank spaces in the table.
Keep working! Have patience! You may also ask your teacher to help you in case you have
difficulty completing the table.

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 What you will do
Activity 2.6

Using the data on Table 2.1 of a free falling object, answer the following questions:

1. What happens to the potential energy as the object freely falls?

2. What happens to the kinetic energy as the object freely falls?
3. Compare the change in potential energy with the change in kinetic energy
as the object freely falls.
4. Describe the total mechanical energy as the object freely falls.
5. Is mechanical energy conserved? Explain your answer.

Did you observe that the potential energy decreased as the object fell? Did you
also observe that in a freely falling body, as the potential energy decreases, the kinetic
energy increases? Notice that as the object freely falls, the change in potential energy
equals the change in kinetic energy. For example, at t = 1 s, the decrease in potential
energy, 48.02 J, is the same as the increase in kinetic energy. At all positions, the change in
kinetic energy is equal to the change in potential energy. We may conclude that mechanical
energy is conserved. What is lost as potential energy becomes kinetic energy. What you
observed is a good example of conservation of energy.

From the activities can you now give a general definition of energy? How do you
differentiate potential energy from kinetic energy?

Energy is the ability to do work.

The two basic forms of energy are potential energy and kinetic energy.
Potential energy is energy due to position while kinetic energy is energy due to
change in position.

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Think about this!

As an object falls, will the change in kinetic energy be always the same as the
change in potential energy? What do you think will happen if air friction acts on an object as
it falls?
If air friction acts on the object, potential energy still decreases, but the decrease in
potential energy is no longer equal to the change in kinetic energy. Actually, it will be greater
than the change in kinetic energy. Potential energy lost is not totally converted to kinetic
energy. Some of the energy is converted into thermal energy of the molecules of air the
object encounters. If you could measure the temperature of the air around the object, there
would be a little increase in the temperature of the air.

The Law of Conservation of Energy states that in an isolated system, the

total amount of energy is conserved.

The law of conservation of energy tells us that, although energy changes to other
forms in a given system, the total amount of energy cannot change. For example, when an
object freely falls, the total energy gained when it is raised from the ground to a certain
height remains the same. It is only transformed from gravitational potential energy to kinetic
energy. When it rests on the ground, the kinetic energy is transformed to thermal energy of
the ground and the part of the object that touches the ground.

What you will do

Activity 2.7

Tie a stone at the end of a string. Hold the string at the other end. Set the stone
into vibration. This will be your swinging pendulum.

1. Explain how conservation of mechanical energy is involved in the swinging of the

pendulum.
2. What enables the Space Shuttle in the Enchanted Kingdom to loop a loop?

Sources of Energy

Conservation of energy happens everywhere. Energy constantly changes from one

form to another and the flow of energy never stops. But, the total energy remains the same.
When you turned on the electric lamps, energy changes from electrical to light and heat.
But, if you trace where this electrical energy comes from, you will find that there are many
sources of energy.

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Sources of Electrical Energy

The most common source of electrical energy worldwide is coal. It is burned in coal
fired power plants. The heat obtained from burning coal is used to boil water and produce
steam. The steam runs the turbines where electricity is generated. Electricity, in turn, is
distributed to the community by electric companies. When you turned on the electric lamps,
you tapped into that energy.

Heat from under the earth is another source of electrical energy being harnessed in
geothermal power plants. Steam from underneath the earth is tapped. It is used to turn the
blades of the turbines. The generator converts the mechanical energy in the turbines to
electrical energy.

Another source of electrical energy is the energy released by atomic nucleus

during controlled nuclear reaction in nuclear power plants. A large amount of energy is
released during the fission of the nucleus of an atom of a radioactive element like uranium.
This tremendous amount of energy is used to run the turbines in nuclear power plants.
Electricity is thus generated and distributed to the community.

Generally, the basic processes in power plants are the same. The blades of the
turbines must be made to turn to generate electricity. Thus, mechanical energy is converted
to electrical energy. The difference among these power plants is the source of energy that
turns the blades of the turbines.

What you will do

Activity 2.8

Answer the following questions:

1. Identify the sources of electrical energy discussed in this module.

2. What are the basic processes common to all power plants?

Research Work

1. Are there power plants in your locality? What are the sources of electrical
energy in these power plants?
2. Aside from producing electrical energy, what are the other uses of energy
derived from fuels such as coal?

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Nonrenewable Resources

Fuels are substances that may be burned to produce heat, light, or power. The
most commonly used fuels are dried dung or animal wastes, wood, peat, and coal. There
are also manufactured fuels such as charcoal, coke, and water gas. Lately, petroleum and
natural gas have come in widespread use.

Fossil fuels are carbon–rich deposits of ancient life that burn with flame. These
have been the most important energy source during the past centuries. Fossil fuels include
coal, oil or petroleum, and natural gas. They account for approximately 90% of all energy
consumed by industrial nations.

Estimates by geologists reveal that it takes millions of years to form fossil fuel
deposits. Although the natural processes involved in the formation of fossil fuels still
continue today, the rate of using fossil fuels is very, very much greater than the rate of their
formation. They are, therefore, classified as nonrenewable resources. They cannot easily be
replaced.

What you will do

Activity 2.9

Answer the following questions:

1. Give one nonrenewable energy source.

2. What form of energy is present in the following?
a. a swinging pendulum
b. a uranium atom underneath the earth
c. water in dams
c. fossil fuels
3. How do you think can you help to solve the problem of energy shortage?

25
Lesson 3 Machines and Power

You may have observed some people pushing a heavy rock using a piece of wood.
There are also those who carry water in a pail using a piece of wood. A pail of water is hung
at each end of the pole with its middle resting on the shoulder. Have you noticed the device
used at the top of the flag pole to raise the flag? These are simple machines. Simple
machines are tools with one or two parts that make work easier.

What are machines? These are devices that help us do work easier. In what way
do machines help us do work easier? Suppose that you want to transfer a heavy rock in
your garden. You could not do this using your bare hands. Probably, you will use a long
piece of wood or a crowbar, if you have. Look at the picture below to see how a lever, like
the crowbar works.

(a)

Fig. 3.1 a)A rock being transferred using a long piece of wood or crowbar. b)
Schematic diagram for a).

Basic Types of Machine

There are only two basic types of machines. These are the lever and the inclined
plane. The other simple machines are modifications of the lever or the inclined plane.

The Lever

A lever has a fulcrum. This is the point where the lever is supported. Can you
identify in the picture (Figure 3.1) where the fulcrum is? Notice that the man pushes down

26
on one side of the bar. The opposite side of the bar pushes up on the rock and lifts one side
of the rock. The distance from the man’s force (effort) to the fulcrum is the effort arm. The
distance from the rock (the resistance) to the fulcrum is the resistance arm. In using a
lever, you apply less effort, but this is used to lift heavy load. The lever helps us do work by
increasing the force we exert.

What you will do

Activity 3.1

1. Find a heavy rock in your backyard. Try to lift and move it 0.5 m across.
2. Place one end of the bamboo pole or any wooden pole under the rock and pull up on
the end not under the rock. What do you observe?
3. Repeat #2 until the rock is moved 0.5 m across the ground.
4. Compare the force you exerted to move the rock.
5. How did the lever (the bamboo pole) help you do work?

Did you notice that you exerted less effort in transferring the rock across the
ground using the lever? However, you could move the rock only a little distance at a time.
The lever helps you do work by increasing the force you apply, but this is done at the
expense of speed. Using the lever, you do the work easier, that is, you exert less effort, but
you do the work slowly.

Three Classes of Lever

Think of the tools you used at home that are examples of lever. Aside from the
seesaw, there are many tools used at home and in your community that are lever. There are
three classes of levers: first class, second class and third class levers (Fig. 3.2)
The seesaw is a first class lever. The fulcrum is between the effort and the
resistance. The wheelbarrow is an example of a second class lever. The resistance is
between the effort and the fulcrum. The ice tong is a third class lever. Effort is exerted at the
middle to close the open ends in picking up the ice. The other end joined by a screw is the
fulcrum.

Fig. 3.4 Three Classes of lever

27
The Inclined Plane

Suppose that you want to raise a heavy load unto the truck. To do this, you use a
wooden plank, one end of which is on the ground while the other end is resting on the rear
of the truck. The load is pushed up or pulled up along the plank. You would probably find out
that it is easier to push the load up the plank than to lift it. To find out how this plank helps
you do work, do the activity that follows.

What you will do

Activity 3.2

1. Get a heavy load, let’s say, one sack of rice or one sack of sand.
2. Try to lift this onto a platform as shown in Figure 3.3 (a)

a.

3. Now, place a plank or a piece of wooden board to a support as shown (Fig.

3.3 b ).
4. Place the heavy load on the lower end of the plank, and then push this
along the plank onto the raised end. Feel the force that you apply.
5. Compare the force you need to exert in lifting the load with the force
needed to push it along the plank.

The plank is an inclined plane. The plank helps you do work by exerting lesser
force than when lifting the object. The force you apply in using an inclined plane is used to
lift heavy load.

28
 To have more quantitative results and to understand very well how the inclined
plane works, do this activity in school. Ask your teacher to help you get the materials for this
activity.
What you will do
Activity 3.3

1. Place an inclined plane to a support as shown (Fig. 3.6)

1.
2. Fig. 3.6 An inclined plane

3. Pull a cart with a 500-g load along the inclined plane with a spring balance.
While pulling the load constantly, get the reading on the spring balance and
record it.
4. Multiply the load of 500 grams by 980 cm/s2. This is the weight of the load.
This is also the resistance force.
5. Compare the resistance with the force obtained in no.2.

In the activity, notice that the force applied in pulling the load up the inclined plane is
less than the weight of the load. The inclined plane helps us do work by exerting less effort
in moving a heavy load to a certain height. This simple machine helps us do work by
increasing the force we apply.

Work on an Inclined Plane

Lifting the load directly requires a large force acting through a small distance, such
as the height of the truck. If the load is pushed up the inclined plane onto the truck, a
smaller force is needed, but the load moves a greater distance, the length of the inclined
plane. The force exerted in pushing the load is the effort, E. The length of the inclined plane
is the distance the effort is moved. This is the effort distance, dE. If the magnitude of this
force is multiplied by the distance the effort is moved, what do we have? You are right! Work
is done. This work is the input work. In equation,

29
 Input work = E x dE

What is the effect of doing this work? Very good! The load is moved to the top of
the inclined plane, and onto the rear of the truck. The load is raised to a certain height. The
weight of the load is the resistance, R while the height of the inclined plane is the distance
the resistance is moved. This is the resistance distance, dR. If the magnitude of this force is
multiplied by the resistance distance, the product is the output work or the work done by
the machine. In equation,

Output work = R x dR
It is a common observation that it is easier to walk or push or pull up a long gentle
slope than a short, steep one. Less force is exerted on the long slope than on the short one.

Other uses of Machines

The bicycle helps us do work by increasing the speed. However, this is done at the
expense of force. When you step in the pedal and exert force, the pedal rotates around the
crank axle. The pedaling action is transmitted to the rear wheel causing it to rotate and drive
the bicycle forward. You need to exert greater force than the force you exert when you just
walk. But work is done faster.

Do you notice how a single fixed pulley at the top of the flagpole operates? How
does a single-fixed pulley help us do work? To raise the flag to the top of the flagpole, the
rope to which the flag is attached is pulled down. The rope passes through the grove of the
pulley. The magnitude of the force applied is no greater than the force due to the flag’s
weight. Force applied is not increased using the single-fixed pulley. Instead, the pulley helps
us do work by changing the direction of the force.
Another way by which a machine helps us do work is by transforming energy. A
generator transforms mechanical energy to electrical energy.

Think about it!

How else do machines help us do work?

30
Mechanical Advantage

In the activity on the inclined plane, notice also that the force applied in pulling the
load up the inclined plane is less than the weight of the load. The inclined plane helps us do
work by exerting less effort in moving a heavy load to a certain height. Do you recall that this
simple machine helps us do work by increasing the force we apply? The number of times a
machine multiplies force is its mechanical advantage. To determine this, we divide the
resistance force by the effort. This is the actual mechanical advantage, AMA. In equation,

Resistance
AMA = -------------------- or
Effort

R
AMA = --------------------
E

If friction is neglected, the mechanical advantage is the ratio of the effort distance
to the resistance distance. This is the ideal mechanical advantage, I.M.A. , or

length
I. M.A. = --------------, or
height

L
I.M.A. = -------------
H

Other Simple Machines

The other simple machines like the wheel and axle, wedge, screw, and the pulley
are modifications of the lever and the inclined plane. You have seen one use of the pulley,
that of changing the direction of the force. Combination of two or more pulleys has another
use. Have you seen how a car mechanic raises the engine of a car that is to be repaired? A
system of pulleys is used for this purpose. To find out how a combination of pulleys work, do
the activity below.

31
 What you will do
Activity 3.4

Ask your teacher to help you secure the materials you will need in this activity.
You will need the following:
 2 pulleys
 strong string about 3 m long
 1 500 - g standard mass
 1 spring balance

Procedure:

1. Arrange the pulleys as shown in figure 3.7

2. Lift a 500-g load, and as you lift it determine the reading in spring balance.
3. Record data on a sheet of paper.
4. Do steps 1-3 but use a different load.

Answer the questions that follow:

1. Compare the readings in the spring balance with the weight of the load.
2. What does the reading in the spring balance represent?
3. What does the 500-g load represent?

The force obtained by multiplying the 500-g load by the acceleration due
to gravity is the resistance force. The reading in the spring balance is the effort.

Fig. 3.7 A single fixed-pulley

32
 What you will do
Activity 3.5

1. Study Fig. 3.8 showing how pulleys are used to lift objects.

a b c d
Fig. 3.8 Different types of pulley

1. Answer the questions that follow:

a. How many strands support the weight in Fig. a? What is its IMA?
b. How many strands support the weight in Fig. b? What is its IMA?
c. How many strands support the weight in Fig. c? What is its IMA?
d. How many strands support the weight in Fig. d? What is its IMA?

Notice that in figure a, there is only one strand supporting the load. The IMA is 1. In
figure b, there are two strands supporting the load and the IMA is 2. In figure c, there are
three strands supporting the load and the IMA is 3. In figure d, there four strands supporting
the load and the IMA is 4.

Generally, the IMA of a pulley system is the number of

strands supporting the load.

33
 What you will do
Self-Test 3.1

Fill in the blanks with the correct words or phrases to complete the statements:
1. _________ are devices that help us do work.
2. The two basic types of machines are the _________ and ________.
3. There are ________ classes of lever.
4. The point where the lever is supported is called _________.
5. The effort multiplied by the effort distance gives the machine’s _________.
6. _______is the product of the resistance and the resistance distance.
7. The number of times a machine multiplies force is its________.
8. ________ determines the IMA of the pulley system.

9. The IMA of a pulley system is determined by counting the ___________ supporting

the load.
10. The single fixed pulley has an IMA equal to _______.

You often hear somebody saying that an athlete is more powerful than another, or
that animals are more powerful than humans. What really is power?

Power provides a measure of both the amount of work done or the amount of energy
expended and the time it takes to do it. If you do a physical task quickly you have more
power than when you do the same task slowly.

In science, power is defined as the rate at which work is done or the rate at which
energy is expended, or is transferred, or transformed. In equation,

Power = work/time
or
Power = energy/time

What is the SI unit of power? Since the SI unit of work is joule and the SI unit of time
is second, the SI unit of power is Joule/second. This is given a special name, watt, in honor
of James Watt. So,

1 watt (W) = 1 joule (J)/second (s)

34
 A bigger unit, kilowatt (kW) is also commonly used. This is the commonly used unit of
electrical power. However, we still use the English system unit of power which is the
horsepower. The power of some electrical devices like the motor of air-condition is still
expressed in horsepower.

1 horsepower (hp) = 746 watts

You might be familiar with the unit kilowatt hour (kWh) seen on electrical bills. What
quantity has this as the unit? The equation defining power as energy divided by time maybe
written as
Energy = power x time

Using the above equation, if power is expressed in kilowatt and time is in hour, the
unit of energy is kilowatt-hour.

What you will do

Self- Test 3.2

Fill in the blank to complete each statement:

1. ________ is defined as the rate at which work is done.
2. The SI unit of power is j/s which is given a special name _________.
3. A horsepower is equivalent to _________watts.
4. _______ is equal to power x time.
5. Kilowatt-hour is a unit of ________.

35
 What you will do
Activity 3.6

Look at the power rating in the electrical devices you use at home. Indicate
this opposite the electrical device in the table below:

Electrical Device Power Rating (W) Power Rating (hp)

Electric fan
Refrigerator
Rice cooker
Flat iron
Television set

Many power tools are still in horsepower. Some air conditioners, for example, have
power rating of 1 hp, others with power ratings of 2 hp. An electric household mixer uses a
motor with a power of ¼ hp.

Which is more powerful?

Suppose that hollow blocks are to be loaded onto a truck. What are two ways of
doing this? First, a person could lift the hollow blocks one at time and place them on the
truck. Second, a forklift could be used to lift the hollow blocks all at the same time. Compare
the work done when a person is able to lift all the hollow blocks one at a time and the work
done using the forklift.

You are right! The same amount of work is done. The force on each hollow block is
equal to the magnitude of the weight of the hollow block. The total force exerted to lift all the
hollow blocks times the distance they are moved (the height of the truck) is the same
whether the blocks are loaded one at a time or all at the same time. But, the power in lifting
the hollow block one at a time is lesser than when the blocks are loaded at once.

36
Example Problem 1

Suppose that the mass of all the hollow blocks is 900 kg. If the truck bed has a weight
of 1.3 m, how much work is done in lifting the hollow blocks onto the truck bed? If the forklift
does the work in 15 seconds, what is the power? If the person does the same work in 1
hour, what is the person’s power? In which situation is power greater?

Solution:

The amount of work done in lifting the hollow blocks is

Work = mgd
= 900 kg x 9.8 m/s2 x 1.3 m
= 11 466 J

The power of the forklift is

Power = Work/Time
= 11446 joules/15 seconds
= 764.4 W
The power of the person is

Power = Work/time
= 11 446 J / 1 h
= 11 446 J / 3600 s
= 3.185 W

Notice that in problem 1, the forklift has greater power than the person. The same
amount of work is done, but work was done in a shorter time using the forklift.

What you will do

Activity 3.7

Read and understand the following problems. Then, solve. If you are through,
check your solution.

1. How much electrical energy per second is consumed in an incandescent bulb that
has a power rating of 50 watts?

2. What is the power of an engine that does 3000 joules of work in 4 seconds?

37
Let’s summarize

1. Work is done on a body when force is applied causing that body to move.
2. Work is defined as the product of the magnitude of the force and the distance
through which the object moves. In equation,
W = F x d, or
W = F cos Ө d.
The SI unit of work is Nm or joule.
3. Energy is the ability to do work. Doing work on a body increases its energy.
4. Kinetic energy is energy due to motion. To calculate the increase in kinetic energy
of a body, we use the equation

KE = ½ mv2
5. Potential energy is energy due to position. To determine the gravitational energy
we use the equation
PE = mgd.
The SI unit of energy is the same as the unit of work which is joule.
6. The kinetic energy of a free falling body increases while its potential energy
decreases.
7. The total mechanical energy of a free falling body remains the same or is
conserved. The loss in potential energy equals the increase in kinetic energy.
8. Some sources of energy are heat from under the earth, energy released by atomic
nucleus and fossil fuels.
9. Machines help us do work by multiplying force, changing the direction of force,
transferring energy, transforming energy, and increasing speed.
10. Mechanical advantage is the number of times a machine multiplies force. Actual
mechanical advantage is the ratio of the resistance to the effort while ideal
mechanical advantage is the ratio of the effort distance to resistance distance.
11. Power is the rate of doing work. In SI it is expressed in watts.

Posttest

38
I. Complete each of the following sentences with a word or phrase that will make the
sentence correct.

1. ____________ is the ability to do work.

2. The energy stored in a stretched spring is called ____________.
3. The total mechanical energy of a body is the sum of its potential energy and
____________ energy.
4. In the presence of _____________, the final mechanical energy is less than the initial
mechanical energy.
5. When a basketball and a pingpong ball are thrown with the same velocity, the kinetic
energy of the basketball is ____________ the kinetic energy of the pingpong ball.
6. The mechanical energy of a free-falling body is ____________.
7. Efficiency of a machine is the ratio of its actual mechanical advantage to its
____________.
8. ____________ is the amount of work done per unit time.
9. ____________ is the rate of doing work.
10. A ¾ -hp motor has a power equal to ____________ watts.

II. Choose the letter of the best answer and write this on a piece of paper.

1. In science, which statement correctly describes work?

a. Work is done whenever force is applied.
b. Work is done when you are paid for the effort exerted.
c. Work is done when force applied moves the object through a distance.
d. Work is done when force is applied for a longer time.

2. In which situations shown in the figures below is work done equal to zero?

(a) (b)

39
 (c) (d)
3. A force of 25 N is used to slide a 150-N sofa, 5 m across a floor. How much work is
done on the sofa?
a. 0 joule b. 125 joules c. 245 joules d. 750 joules
4. How much work is done in holding a 2-kg book 2 m above the ground?
a. 0 joule b. 4 joules c. 19.6 joules d. 39.2 joules

5. An object lifted to a height of 5 meters gained 1000 J of potential energy. Then, it is

allowed to freely fall. What is its kinetic energy when it hits the ground?
a. zero J c. 5000 J
b. 1000 J d. 50000 J

6. A 1-kg ball rolling with a speed of 2 m/s has a kinetic energy equal to
a. 1 J c. 4 J
b. 2 J d. 8 J

7. If air resistance is zero, the kinetic energy of a falling object at the lowest position is
________ its potential energy at the highest position.
a. less than c. greater than
b. equal to d. not related to

8. Which description of the following machines is INCORRECT?

a. wheelbarrow – 1st class lever
b. seesaw – 1st class lever
c. ice tong – 3rd class lever
d. human arm – 1st class lever

9. How does the pulley in the flagpole help us do work? It

a. increases the force applied.
b. makes work faster.
c. changes the direction of force.
d. transforms energy.

10. The rate at which work is done is called

a. power.
b. displacement.
c. kinetic energy.
d. potential energy.

-End of Module-

References
Young, Hugh D. and Friedman R.G.(2004). University physics (11th ed). Addison Wesley, San Francisco, CA:
Pearson Education South Asia PTE Ltd.

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Hewitt, P. (2002). Conceptual physics: the high school physics program. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey:
Prentice – Hall, Inc.

41