WORK, ENERGY

AND POWER
Objectives
Calculate the work done by an applied force that moves an object through a certain
displacement.

Distinguished between kinetic and potential energy.

Use the principle of conservation of energy to solve problems that involves moving
objects.

Determine the power output of an energy source.

6.1 Work
The term work, commonly used in connection with widely physical or mental activities,
is restricted in physics, in cases wherein there is a force and a displacement along the direction
of the force.

In general, work is defined as the product of the displacement and the component of
the force along the displacement. Work is a scalar quantity.

S

 
F F

If the force and the displacement are in the same direction, as shown in the diagram
 
above, then the work done by the force in moving the body is given by W = F = S = FS ,

where: F is the applied force

S is the displacement
If the force and the displacement are not in the same direction, as shown in the diagram
below, then the work done by the applied force is given by
 
W = F = S (cos ) = FS cos 
= (F cos )S
 
F F

 
Work, Energy and Power 72

 
where  is the angle between the two vectors F and S .

 
There will be no work done if the displacement S and the applied force F are at right
angles with each other, since cos900 = 0.

If the applied force does work by moving the body in the direction of the force, the
work done is positive. If the body moves in the opposite direction of the force, the work is
done by the body and is negative.

In general, there are three ways on how work is done.

If the force is just to impart uniform motion on the body, the force of friction has
done the same amount of work.
In changing the position or configuration of the body system, as in the case of force
applied on a body to raise the body on an inclined plane.
In imparting acceleration to the body or system.

Units of Work

System Work = Force  Displacement

MKS Joule (J) = newton (n)  meter (m)

CGS Erg = dyne (dyn)  centimeter (cm)

British foot-pound = pound (lb)  foot (ft)

Conversion: 1 Joule = 107 Ergs

1 foot-pound = 1.356 Joules
Work, Energy and Power 73

Sample Problems with Solutions:

1. A wooden box is being pulled 10 m from its original position along a horizontal surface
by a constant force of 25 N. Calculate the work done on the box if
a) the force is applied horizontally, and
b) the force makes an angle of 370 above the horizontal

Solution:
a) W = F • S
= 25N • 10m
= 250N•m (Joule)

b) W = Fcos370 • S
= (25N)(cos370)(10m)
= 199.66N•m (Joule)

2. A 100 lb wooden box is pushed across a horizontal floor with a force of 50 lb. The
coefficient of sliding friction, , is 0.4.
a) Find the work done in pushing the box 60ft.
b) How much work went into overcoming friction?
c) How much work went into accelerating the box?

Solutions:
a) W = F • S
= 50lbs • 60 ft
= 3,000 ft-lb

b) W =F•S
but, f = N = W
= 0.4 (100 lb)
= 40 lbs

W =F•S
= 40 lbs • 60 ft
= 2,400 ft-lb

c) Wa = 3,000 ft-lb – 2,400 ft-lb

= 600 ft-lb
Work, Energy and Power 74

6.2 Energy
The property of a body or system of bodies by virtue of which work can be performed is
called energy. It is a scalar quantity.

Energy can exist in many forms and can be transformed from one form to another. The
energy possessed by an object by virtue of its motion is called kinetic energy, or energy of motion.
Energy of position, or configuration, is called potential energy.

When work is done on a body in the absence of frictional force, the work done is equal to
the sum of the increase in kinetic energy and the increase in potential energy. The units in which
energy is expressed are the same as the units of work.

6.2.1 Potential Energy

An object may store energy because of its position. The energy that is stored is called
potential energy (PE), because in the stored state, it has the potential to do work.

6.2.1.1 Gravitational Potential Energy

Work is required to lift objects against the
2
earth’s gravity. The potential energy due to
elevated positions is called gravitational potential
energy. The amount of gravitational potential mg
energy possessed by an elevated object is equal to
the work done against gravity on lifting it. h

If a mass m is raised from position 1 to

position 2, a distance h, as shown in the diagram 1
on the right, work is done on the body against
gravity with the magnitude,
W = -mgh
where mg is the force and the negative sign signifies a force against gravity. If the body is allowed
to fall, the weight of the body will do the same amount of work,
W = mgh
which in another way, is called the potential energy of the body. In other words, energy was stored
in the body by virtue of its position relative to the surface. Therefore,
PE = mgh
Since weight w = mg, PE = wh
Work, Energy and Power 75


Consider now the work done in dragging a body F
of mass m along a frictionless inclined plane, as shown.
Since the component of the vertical force, (the weight
L
= mg) along the plane is (mgsin), the work done h
against this component of the weight along the plane of mg
length L is,

W = (mgsin) L
but
h
sin  =
L
Therefore,
W = mgh
Note that the height h is the distance above some reference level, such as the ground or the
floor of a building. The potential energy or the work done on a body raised to a height is
independent of the path, or course, taken by the body. The potential energy is relative to some
reference level and depends only on mg and the height h.

The potential energy of a body at high altitude with respect to the surface of the earth is
given by
l l
PE = GMm  − 
R r

where the universal gravitational constant G = 6.67  10 -11 m3 , M is the mass of the earth, m
kg - s 2
is the mass of the body, R is the radius of the earth, and r is the distance of the body from the center
of the earth. Note that r is not just the altitude above the earth’s surface but includes the radius of
the earth as well.

6.2.2 Kinetic Energy

If an object is moving, then by virtue of that motion, it is capable of doing work. It is called
energy of motion, or kinetic energy (KE).

The kinetic energy of the moving object can be measured by the amount of work it will do
if brought to rest or by the amount of work originally need to impart velocity to it, in circumstances
where the work cannot also go into potential energy.
Work, Energy and Power 76

Consider a body with initial speed V1 on which a steady unbalanced force F acts as it moves
F
a distance s. The body gains speed at a rate given by a = until it reaches a final speed V2. The
m
work done on the body by the unbalanced force that accelerated it appears as a change in its kinetic
energy.
W = KE = Fs

Since F = ma, multiplying by s gives

Fs = mas

so that
KE = Fs = mas

Using
2as = V2 − V1
2 2

as = 1
2
(V 2
2
− V1
2
)
we finally obtain
(
KE = 12 m V2 − V1
2 2
)
= 12 mV2 − 12 mV1
2 2

If the body was initially at rest at V1 = 0 and the gain in kinetic energy is the final kinetic energy.
Thus, the kinetic energy of a body, moving with velocity V, at any instant is
KE = 12 mV 2

6.2.3 Transformation and Conservation of Energy

Energy is given to a body or system of bodies when work is done upon it. In this process,
there is merely a transfer of energy from one body to another. In such transfer no energy is created
nor destroyed: it merely changes from one form to another. This statement is known as the law of
conservation of energy.

An example of the law of the conservation of

energy is the conservation of mechanical energy
(potential and kinetic) in the case of a simple pendulum
of mass m. If the pendulum is raised to a height h, it
acquires potential energy. When it reaches the lowest h
point of the arc, its potential energy is minimum, but its
velocity is maximum showing that the potential energy of
Work, Energy and Power 77

the pendulum has been converted to kinetic energy. This conservation is 100% ; friction at the
point of support and air resistance is neglected. The kinetic energy at the lowest point will carry
the pendulum to the same height in the other side of the swing. The law of conservation of energy
still holds even if friction and air resistance are taken into account, because in that case, when the
body eventually stops swinging after some time, both its potential and kinetic energies, by then,
will all have been dissipated into heat energy.

Sample Problems with Solutions:

1. Calculate the kinetic energy in joules of an 11.0 g rifle bullet travelling at 250 m
s .

Solution:
KE = 12 mV 2
  1 kg 
= 12 (11.0 g )   (250 m s )
2

  1000 g 
= 343.75 joules

2. A 40-lb stone is hoisted to the top of a building 100 ft high. By how much does its potential
energy increases?

Solution:
PE = mgh = wh
= (40 lb )(100 ft )
= 4000 ft - lb

3. A body of mass m is thrown vertically upward with a velocity of 25 m

s .
a) How high will it rise?
b) What is its velocity at a height of 20 m?

h V2

20 m

V1
Work, Energy and Power 78

Solution:

a) KE bottom = PE at the highest point

mV1 = mgh
1 2
2

V2
h=
2g

=
(25)2
2 (9.8)
= 31.88 m

b) KE = KE + PE
1
2
mV1 2 = 12 mV 2 2 + mgh 2
2
1  25 m  = 1 V 2 +  9.8 m (20 m )
2  s  2 2  s2 
 2 
V 2 2 = 2  12  25 m  −  9.8 m 2 (20 m )
  s   s  
V 2 = 15.26 s m

4. A volcanic ash flow is moving across horizontal ground when it encounters a 10 up slope.
It is observed to travel 920 m on the upslope before coming to rest. The volcanic ash
contains trapped gas, so the force of friction with the ground is very small and can be
ignored. At what speed was the ash flow moving just before encountering the up slope?
Consider an arbitrary mass m of the ash flow and see how it moves.
V2 = 0

S = 920 m
h
V1
100

Solution:
KE = PE
1
2
mV1 2 = mgh

V1 2 = 2 gh
V1 = 2 gh

= (2 )(9.8)(90 sin 10 0 )
= 55.95 m s
Work, Energy and Power 79

5. An 800 kg car moving at 6 m

s begins to coast down a hill 40 m high with its engine off.
The driver applies the brake so that the car’s speed at the bottom of the hill is 20 m
s . How
much energy was lost to friction?

Solution:
m = 800 kg V1 = 6 m s

V2 = 20 m s

KE + PE = KE + Wf

Wf = 12 (800)(6)2 + (800)(9.8)(40) − 12 (800)(20)2 
= 14400 + 313600 − 160000
W f = 168,000 joules

6.3 Power
The time rate of doing work is known as power. Power measures the amount of work done
in given time:

work done W FS S
power = = = = F = Fv
elapsed time t t t

In the MKS system, the unit of power is in joule per second, also known as the watt, named
after James Watt. In the CGS system, the unit of power is in erg per second. In the English system,
the standard unit of power is the horsepower (hp).

1 hp = 33,000 ft −lbs min

= 550 ft −lbs s
= 746 watt
= 0.75 kilowatt ( kw)
1 kw = 1000 watts
Work, Energy and Power 80

Sample Problems with Solutions:

1. How much power is expended by a man who can push a load with a force of 190 lbs to a
distance of 100 ft in 4 min?

Solution:
work
P=
time
 100 ft 
= (80lbs ) 
 4 min 
= 2000 ft − lbs min
= 2  103 ft − lbs
min

2. An engine is needed to pump 10,000 gallons of water per hour into a reservoir 100 ft above
the level ground. How many horsepower is required?

Solution:
1 gallon of water = 8.34 lbs.
100,000 gallons = 8.34  105 lbs

ft −lb
hp = min

33,000
834
=
19.8
= 42.1

3. Water is pumped from a river with a depth of 80 m to a reservoir on the surface at a rate of
3
10 m hr . What is the minimum power in watts required in pumping the water up?

Solution:
FS mgS
P= =
t t
= 10 m hr (9.8)(80)1000 kg 3 
3
   m 

= 7,840,000 joule hr
= 2,178 watts