Chapter 6

Work and Kinetic Energy

Conceptual Problems

7 How does the work required to stretch a spring 2.0 cm from its
unstressed length compare with the work required to stretch it 1.0 cm from its
unstressed length?

Determine the Concept The work required to stretch or compress a spring a
distance x is given by
2
2
1
kx W = where k is the springs stiffness constant.
Because W x
2
, doubling the distance the spring is stretched will require four
times as much work.

13 True or false: (a) The scalar product cannot have units. (b) If the scalar
product of two nonzero vectors is zero, then they are parallel. (c) If the scalar
product of two nonzero vectors is equal to the product of their magnitudes, then
the two vectors are parallel. (d) As an object slides up an incline, the sign of the
scalar product of the force of gravity on it and its displacement is negative.

(a) False. Work is the scalar product of force and displacement.

(b) False. Because where is the angle between , cos AB = B A
r r
A
r
and if the
scalar product of the vectors is zero, then must be 90 (or some odd multiple of
90) and the vectors are perpendicular.
, B
r

(c) True. Because where is the angle between , cos AB = B A
r r
A
r
and if the
scalar product of the vectors is equal to the product of their magnitudes, then
must be 0 and the vectors are parallel.
, B
r

(d) True. Because the angle between the gravitational force and the displacement
of the object is greater than 90, its cosine is negative and, hence, the scalar
product is negative.

17 You are driving a car that accelerates from rest on a level road without
spinning its wheels. Use the center-of-mass worktranslational-kinetic-energy
relation and free-body diagrams to clearly explain which force (or forces) is (are)
directly responsible for the gain in translational kinetic energy of both you and the
car. Hint: The relation refers to external forces only, so the cars engine is not
the answer. Pick your system correctly for each case.

Determine the Concept The car shown in the free-body diagram is accelerating
in the +x direction, as are you (shown to the right). The only external force
(neglecting air resistance) that does center-of-mass work on the car is the static
109
Chapter 6


110
friction force
s
f
r
exerted by the road on the tires. The positive center-of-mass
work this friction force does is translated into a gain of kinetic energy.

g
F

n
F

x
y
s
f


you on g,
F

x
y
seat by the you on n,
F

s back seat by you on
f F

=


Work, Kinetic Energy and Applications
27 A 3.0-kg particle moving along the x axis has a velocity of +2.0 m/s as
it passes through the origin. It is subjected to a single force, F
x
, that varies with
position, as shown in Figure 6-30. (a) What is the kinetic energy of the particle as
it passes through the origin? (b) How much work is done by the force as the
particle moves from x = 0.0 m to x = 4.0 m? (c) What is the speed of the particle
when it is at x = 4.0 m?

Picture the Problem The pictorial representation shows the particle as it moves
along the positive x axis. The particles kinetic energy increases because work is
done on it. We can calculate the work done on it from the graph of F
x
vs. x and
relate its kinetic energy when it is at x = 4.0 m to its kinetic energy when it was at
the origin and the work done on it by using the work-kinetic energy theorem.



(a) Calculate the kinetic energy of
the particle when it is at x = 0:
( )
J 0 . 6
) m/s (2.0 kg 3.0
2
2
1
2
2
1
0
=
= = mv K


Work and Energy


111

(b) Because the force and
displacement are parallel, the work
done is the area under the curve. Use
the formula for the area of a triangle
to calculate the area under the F(x)
graph:

( )( )
( )( )
J 12
N 6.0 m 4.0
altitude base
2
1
2
1
4 0
=
=
=

W


(c) Express the kinetic energy of the
particle at x = 4.0 m in terms of its
speed and mass:

2
s 4 2
1
s 4
mv K =
m
K
v
s 4
s 4
2
= (1)


Using the work-kinetic energy
theorem, relate the work done on the
particle to its change in kinetic
energy:

0 s 4 m 0 . 4 0
K K W =

Solve for the particles kinetic
energy at x = 4.0 m:

4 0 0 s 4
+ = W K K
Substitute numerical values and
evaluate K
4 s
:

J 18 J 12 J 0 . 6
s 4
= + = K
Substitute numerical values in
equation (1) and evaluate v
4
:
( )
m/s 5 . 3
kg 3.0
J 18 2
4
= = v

33 You are designing a jungle-vineswinging sequence for the latest
Tarzan movie. To determine his speed at the low point of the swing and to make
sure it does not exceed mandatory safety limits, you decide to model the system
of Tarzan + vine as a pendulum. Assume your model consists of a particle
(Tarzan, mass 100 kg) hanging from a light string (the vine) of length l attached
to a support. The angle between the vertical and the string is written as .
(a) Draw a free-body diagram for the object on the end of the string (Tarzan on
the vine). (b) An infinitesimal distance along the arc (along which the object
travels) is ld. Write an expression for the total work dW
total
done on the particle
as it traverses that distance for an arbitrary angle . (c) If the l = 7.0 m, and if the
particle starts from rest at an angle 50, determine the particles kinetic energy
and speed at the low point of the swing using the workkinetic-energy theorem.





Chapter 6


112
Picture the Problem Because Tarzans displacement is always perpendicular to
the tension force exerted by the rope, this force can do no work on him. The net
work done on Tarzan is the work done by the gravitational force acting on him.
We can use the definition of work and the work-kinetic energy theorem to find his
kinetic energy and speed at the low point of his swing.

(a) The forces acting on Tarzan are a
gravitational force
g
F
r
(his weight)
exerted by Earth and the tension
force T
r
exerted by the vine on
which he is swinging.
T

g
F

d

y
d

(b) The work done by the
gravitational force
total
dW
g
F
r
as Tarzan
swings through an arc of length ds is:

( )

sin
90 cos
g
g
g total
ds F
ds F
d dW
=
=
= s F
r
r

Note that, because d is decreasing
as Tarzan swings toward his
equilibrium position:

d ds l =
Substituting for ds and F
g
yields:
d mg dW sin
total
l =

(c) Apply the work-kinetic energy
theorem to Tarzan to obtain:

i f total
K K K W = =
or, because K
i
= 0,
f total
K W =

Substituting for yields:
total
W

[ ]

=
=

0
50
0
50
f
cos
sin

l
l
mg
d mg K



Work and Energy


113

Substitute numerical values and evaluate the integral to find K
f
:

( )( )( )[ ]
( )( )( )( )
kJ 5 . 2
kJ 453 . 2
50 cos 1 m 0 . 7 m/s 81 . 9 kg 100
cos m 0 . 7 m/s 81 . 9 kg 100
2
0
50
2
f
=
=
=
=

K


Express K
f
as a function of v
f
:

2
f 2
1
f
mv K =
m
K
v
f
f
2
=

Substitute numerical values and
evaluate v
f
:
( )
m/s 0 . 7
kg 100
kJ 453 . 2 2
f
= = v

Scalar (Dot) Products
43 (a) Given two nonzero vectors

r
A and

r
B , show that if
B A B A
v r v r
= + , then

r
. (b) Given a vector A
r
B

r
A = 4

i 3

j , find a vector in the
xy plane that is perpendicular to

r
A and has a magnitude of 10. Is this the only
vector that satisfies the specified requirements? Explain.

Picture the Problem We can use the definitions of the magnitude of a vector and
the dot product to show that if B A B A
v r v r
= + , then B A
r r
.

(a) Express
2
B A
r r
+ : ( )
2
2
B A B A
r r r r
+ = +


Express B A
v r
:

( )
2 2
B A B A
r r r r
=
Equate these expressions to obtain:

( ) ( )
2 2
B A B A
r r r r
= +

Expand both sides of the
equation to obtain:

2 2 2 2
2 2 B A B A + = + + B A B A
r r r r

Simplify to obtain:
0 4 = B A
r r
or 0 = B A
r r


From the definition of the dot
product we have:

cos AB = B A
r r

where is the angle between A
r
and . B
r


Chapter 6


114
Because neither A
r
nor B
v
is the zero
vector:

0 cos = = 90 and . B A
r r

(b) Let the required vector be B

r
. The
condition that and A
r
B
r
be
perpendicular is that:

0 = B A
r r
(1)
Express B
r
as: j i B

y x
B B + =
r
(2)

Substituting for A
r
and B
r
in equation
(1) yields:

( ) ( ) 0

3

4 = + j i j i
y x
B B
or
0 3 4 =
y x
B B (3)

Because the magnitude of B
r
is 10:

100
2 2
= +
y x
B B (4)
Solving equation (3) for BB
x
and
substituting in equation (4) yields:

( ) 100
2
2
4
3
= +
y y
B B
Solve for BB
y
to obtain:
8 =
y
B

Substituting for BB
y
in equation (3)
and solving for B
x
B yields:

If BB
y
= +8, then B
x
B = +6.
If BB
y
= 8, then B
x
B = 6
Substitute for BB
x
and B
y
B in equation
(2) to obtain:

j i B

6 + =
r

or
j i B

6 =
r

No. There are two possibilities. The
vectors point in opposite directions.
One vector is in the 1
st
quadrant and the
other vector is in the 3
rd
quadrant.

47 When a particle moves in a circle that is centered at the origin and the
magnitude of its position vector r
r
is constant. (a) Differentiate
with respect to time to show that constant
2
= = r r r
r r
0 = r v
r r
, and therefore
. (b) Differentiate r v
r r
0 = r v
r r
with respect to time and show that
, and therefore . (c) Differentiate 0
2
= + v r a
r r
2
/ =
r
a v r
2
v = v v
r r
with respect
to time to show that dt dv = v a
r r
, and therefore
t
= a dv dt .

Picture the Problem The rules for the differentiation of vectors are the same as
those for the differentiation of scalars and scalar multiplication is commutative.

Work and Energy


115
(a) Differentiate r
r
r
r
= r
2
= constant:
( )
( ) 0 constant
2
= =
= + =
dt
d
dt
d
dt
d
dt
d
r v r
r r
r r r
r r r
r r
r r r


Because : 0 = r v
r r
r v
r r


(b) Differentiate v v = v
r r
2
= constant
with respect to time:
( )
( ) 0 constant
2
= =
= + =
dt
d
dt
d
dt
d
dt
d
v a v
v v
v v v
r r r
r r
r r r


Because : 0 = v a
r r
v a
r r


The results of (a) and (b) tell us that a
r
is perpendicular to v
r
and parallel (or
antiparallel tor
r
.

(c) Differentiate v
r
r
r
= 0 with
respect to time:
( )
( ) 0 0
2
= = + =
+ =
dt
d
v
dt
d
dt
d
dt
d
a r
v
r
r
v r v
r r
r
r
r
r r r


Because : 0
2
= + a r
r r
v
2
v = a r
r r
(1)

Express a
r
in terms of , where
is the angle between r
r
and : a
r

cos
r
a a =

Express : a r
r r

r
cos ra ra = = a r
r r


Substitute in equation (1) to obtain:
2
r
v ra =

Solving for a
r
gives:
r
v
a
2
r
=

Work and Power
51 You are in charge of installing a small food-service elevator (called a
dumbwaiter in the food industry) in a campus cafeteria. The elevator is connected
by a pulley system to a motor, as shown in Figure 6-34. The motor raises and
lowers the dumbwaiter. The mass of the dumbwaiter is 35 kg. In operation, it
Chapter 6


116
moves at a speed of 0.35 m/s upward, without accelerating (except for a brief
initial period, which we can neglect, just after the motor is turned on). Electric
motors typically have an efficiency of 78%. If you purchase a motor with an
efficiency of 78%, what minimum power rating should the motor have? Assume
that the pulleys are frictionless.

Picture the Problem Choose a coordinate system in which upward is the +y
direction. We can find from the given information that
in
P . 78 . 0
in out
P P = We can
express as the product of the tension in the cable T and the constant speed v
of the dumbwaiter. We can apply Newtons second law to the dumbwaiter to
express T in terms of its mass m and the gravitational field g.
out
P

Express the relationship between the
motors input and output power:

in out
78 . 0 P P =
out in
282 . 1 P P = (1)

Express the power required to move
the dumbwaiter at a constant speed
v:

Tv P =
out


Apply to the
dumbwaiter:

=
y y
ma F
y
ma mg T =
or, because a
y
= 0,
mg T =

Substitute for T in equation (1) to
obtain:

mgv Tv P 282 . 1 282 . 1
in
= =

Substitute numerical values and
evaluate P
in
:
( )( )( ) ( )
kW 5 1 0.
m/s 0.35 m/s 9.81 kg 35 282 . 1
2
in
=
= P

General Problems

63 A single horizontal force in the +x direction acts on a cart of mass m.
The cart starts from rest at x = 0, and the speed of the cart increases with x as
v = Cx, where C is a constant. (a) Find the force acting on the cart as a function of
x. (b) Find the work done by the force in moving the cart from x = 0 to x = x
1
.

Picture the Problem We can use the definition of work to obtain an expression
for the position-dependent force acting on the cart. The work done on the cart can
be calculated from its change in kinetic energy.

(a) Express the force acting on the
cart in terms of the work done on it:

( )
dx
dW
x F = (1)

Work and Energy


117

Apply the work-kinetic energy
theorem to the cart to obtain:

i
K K K W = =
or, because the cart starts from rest,
K W =

Substitute for W in equation (1) to
obtain:

( ) ( )
( ) [ ] x mC Cx m
dx
d
mv
dx
d
dx
dK
x F
2 2
2
1
2
2
1
= =
= =


(b) The work done by this force
changes the kinetic energy of the
cart:
( )
2
1
2
2
1
2
1 2
1
2
1 2
1
2
0 2
1
2
1 2
1
0
x mC
Cx m mv
mv mv K W
=
= =
= =


71 A force acting on a particle in the xy plane at coordinates (x, y) is given
by ( )( ) j i F

0
x y r F =
r
, where F
0
is a positive constant and r is the distance of the
particle from the origin. (a) Show that the magnitude of this force is F
0
and that
its direction is perpendicular to j i r

y x + =
r
. (b) Find the work done by this force
on a particle that moves once around a circle of radius 5.0 m that is centered at the
origin.

Picture the Problem (a) We can use the definition of the magnitude of vector to
show that the magnitude of F
r
is F
0
and the definition of the scalar product to
show that its direction is perpendicular tor
r
. (b) The work done as the particle
moves in a circular path can be found from its definition.

(a) Express the magnitude of F
r
:
2 2 0
2
0
2
0
2 2
y x
r
F
x
r
F
y
r
F
F F
y x
+ =

=
+ = F
r


Because
2 2
y x r + = :
0
0 2 2 0
F r
r
F
y x
r
F
= = + = F
r


Form the scalar product of F
r
and r
r
:
( ) ( )
( ) 0

0
0
=

=
+

=
xy xy
r
F
y x x y
r
F
j i j i r F
r
r

Chapter 6


118
Because F
r
r
r
= 0:
r F
r
r


(b) The work done in an angular
displacement from
1
to
2
is given
by:
( )
( )
( )

=
=

=
=
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1

cos

sin

cos

sin

0
0
0
rev 1

s j i
s j i
s j i
s F
r
r
r
r
r
d F
d r r
r
F
d x y
r
F
d W


Express the radial vector r
r
in terms of
its magnitude r and the angle it
makes with the positive x axis:

j i r

sin

cos r r + =
r

The differential of r
r
is tangent to the
circle (you can easily convince yourself
of this by forming the dot product of
r
r
and ) and so we can use it as r d
r
s d
r
in
our expression for the work done by
F
r
in one revolution:

( )

d r r
d r d r d d
j i
j i s r

cos

sin

cos

sin
+ =
+ = =
r r


Substitute for , simplifying, and integrate to obtain: s d
r

( ) ( )
( ) ]
0
2
0 0
2
0
0
2
0
2 2
0
2
0
0 ccw rev, 1
2 cos sin

cos

sin

cos

sin
rF rF d rF d rF
d r r F W

= = = + =
+ =

j i j i


Substituting the numerical value of r
yields:
( )
( )
0
0 ccw 1rev,
m 10
m 0 . 5 2
F
F W

=
=


If the rotation is clockwise, the integral
becomes:

]
0
0
2 0 cw rev, 1
2 rF rF W

= =
Substituting the numerical value of r
yields:
( ) ( )
0 0 cw 1rev,
m 10 m 0 . 5 2 F F W = =