5/1/24, 9:02 AM HW13b - Work and Energy with Non-conservative Forces

HW13b - Work and Energy with Non-conservative Forces

Due: 8:00pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2024
To understand how points are awarded, read the Grading Policy for this assignment.

Where's the Energy?

Learning Goal:
To understand how to apply the law of conservation of energy to situations with and without nonconservative forces acting.

The law of conservation of energy states the following:

In an isolated system the total energy remains constant.

If the objects within the system interact through gravitational and elastic forces only, then the total mechanical energy is
conserved.

The mechanical energy of a system is defined as the sum of kinetic energy K and potential energy U . For such systems where
no forces other than the gravitational and elastic forces do work, the law of conservation of energy can be written as

Ki + U i = Kf + U f ,

where the quantities with subscript "i" refer to the "initial" moment and those with subscript "f" refer to the final moment. A wise
choice of initial and final moments, which is not always obvious, may significantly simplify the solution.

The kinetic energy of an object that has mass m and velocity v is given by

1 2
K = mv .
2

Potential energy, instead, has many forms. The two forms that you will be dealing with most often in this chapter are the
gravitational and elastic potential energy. Gravitational potential energy is the energy possessed by elevated objects. For small
heights, it can be found as

U g = mgh ,

where m is the mass of the object, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is the elevation of the object above the zero level.
The zero level is the elevation at which the gravitational potential energy is assumed to be (you guessed it) zero. The choice of
the zero level is dictated by convenience. Typically, this zero is selected to coincide with the lowest position of the object during
the motion explored in the problem; however, this choice is not necessarily a given – we will in fact set the zero at another
location.

Elastic potential energy is associated with stretched or compressed elastic objects such as springs. For a spring with a force
constant k, stretched or compressed a distance x, the associated elastic potential energy is

1 2
Ue = kx .
2

When all three types of energy change, the law of conservation of energy for an object of mass m can be written as

1 1 1 1
mv
2
+ mghi + kx
2
= mv
2
+ mghf + kx
2
.
2 i 2 i 2 f 2 f

The gravitational force and the elastic force are two examples of conservative forces. What if nonconservative forces, such as
friction, also act within the system? In that case, the total mechanical energy would change. The law of conservation of energy is
then written as

1 1 1 1
mv
2
+ mghi + kx
2
+ W nc = mv
2
+ mghf + kx
2
,
2 i 2 i 2 f 2 f

https://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=10937963 1/6
5/1/24, 9:02 AM HW13b - Work and Energy with Non-conservative Forces
where Wnc represents the work done by the nonconservative forces acting on the object between the initial and the final
moments. The work Wnc is usually negative; that is, the nonconservative forces tend to decrease, or dissipate, the mechanical
energy of the system.

In this problem, we will consider the following situation as depicted in the diagram : A block of mass m slides at a speed v along
a horizontal, smooth table. It next slides down a smooth ramp,
descending a height h, and then slides along a horizontal rough floor,
stopping eventually. Assume that the block slides slowly enough so
that it does not lose contact with the supporting surfaces (table, ramp,
or floor). You will analyze the motion of the block at different moments
using the law of conservation of energy.

Part A
Which word in the statement of this problem allows you to assume that the table is frictionless?
ANSWER:

straight

smooth

horizontal

Part B Complete previous part(s)

Part C Complete previous part(s)

Part D Complete previous part(s)

Part E Complete previous part(s)

Part F Complete previous part(s)

Part G Complete previous part(s)

Part H Complete previous part(s)

Part I Complete previous part(s)

Part J Complete previous part(s)

Part K Complete previous part(s)

https://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=10937963 2/6
5/1/24, 9:02 AM HW13b - Work and Energy with Non-conservative Forces

Non-Conservative Forces Act on a Block on an Incline

A block of weight w sits on a plane inclined at an angle θ as shown.

The coefficient of kinetic friction between the plane and the block is μ .

A force F ⃗ is applied to push the block up the incline at constant speed.

Part A
What is the work Wf done on the block by the force of friction as the block moves a distance L up the incline?

Express your answer in terms of some or all of the following: μ , w , θ, L .

You did not open hints for this part.

ANSWER:

Wf =

Part B
What is the work W done by the applied force of magnitude F ?
Express your answer in terms of some or all of the following: μ , w , θ, L .
ANSWER:

W =

Part C

What is the change in the potential energy of the block-Earth system, ΔU , after the block has been pushed a distance L up
the incline?

Express your answer in terms of some or all of the following: μ , w , θ, L .

https://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=10937963 3/6
5/1/24, 9:02 AM HW13b - Work and Energy with Non-conservative Forces
ANSWER:

ΔU =

Part D
What is the work done by all non-conservative forces during this action?

Express your answer in terms of some or all of the following: μ , w , θ, L .

ANSWER:

WN C =

Part E Complete previous part(s)

Part F Complete previous part(s)

Part G Complete previous part(s)

Part H Complete previous part(s)

Alternative Exercise 7.109: Bouncing Ball - v2

A 650-gram rubber ball is dropped from an initial height of 2.50 m , and on each bounce it returns to 75% of its previous height.

Part A
What is the initial mechanical energy of the ball, just after it is released from its initial height?

ANSWER:

Ei = J

Part B
How much mechanical energy does the ball lose during its first bounce?

ANSWER:

ΔE = J

Part C
https://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=10937963 4/6
5/1/24, 9:02 AM HW13b - Work and Energy with Non-conservative Forces
How much mechanical energy is lost during the second bounce?

ANSWER:

ΔE = J

Work on a Sliding Box

A box of mass m is sliding along a horizontal surface.

Part A
The box leaves position x = 0 with speed v 0 . The box is slowed by a constant frictional force until it comes to rest at
position x = x1 .

Find Ff , the magnitude of the average frictional force that acts on the box. (Since you don't know the coefficient of friction,
don't include it in your answer.)
Express the frictional force in terms of m , v 0 , and x1 .

You did not open hints for this part.

ANSWER:

Ff =

Part B
After the box comes to rest at position x1 , a person starts pushing the box, giving it a speed v 1 .

When the box reaches position x2 (where x2 > x1 ), how much work Wp has the person done on the box?
Assume that the box reaches x2 after the person has accelerated it from rest to speed v 1 .

Express the work in terms of m , v 0 , x1 , x2 , and v 1 .

You did not open hints for this part.

ANSWER:

Wp =

Exercise 7.29 - Enhanced - with Feedback

A 62.0 kg skier is moving at 6.90 m/s on a frictionless, horizontal, snow-covered plateau when she encounters a rough patch
4.50 m long. The coefficient of kinetic friction between this patch and her skis is 0.300. After crossing the rough patch and
returning to friction-free snow, she skis down an icy, frictionless hill 2.50 m high.

https://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=10937963 5/6
5/1/24, 9:02 AM HW13b - Work and Energy with Non-conservative Forces

Part A
How fast is the skier moving when she gets to the bottom of the hill?
Express your answer with the appropriate units.

ANSWER:

v2 =

Part B
How much internal energy was generated in crossing the rough patch?
Express your answer with the appropriate units.

ANSWER:

E =

Score Summary:
Your score on this assignment is 0.0%.
You received 0 out of a possible total of 55 points.

https://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=10937963 6/6