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Mechanics 1 version 1.

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LECTURE 5 WORK, ENERGY AND POWER
5.1

Learning outcomes

You should be able to use the following concepts to solve problems:


Work
Potential energy
Kinetic energy
Power.
5.2

Work

5.2.1

Definitions

The work done by a force in moving an object from r1 to r2 is defined as


.
An integral of this form is called a line integral. Note that U1-2 is a scalar.
The line integral can be written in the form

where is the angle between F and r; note that F and need not be constant. When is constant, it
is often easy to calculate U1-2.
When the force is constant and moves in a straight line
where

In the special case that F is constant and in the same direction as r, = 0 so that
.
Work has SI units N.m but this unit is given a special name the joule (J). Work is a scalar.
5.2.2

Work done by a falling weight

When a weight falls from position 1 to position 2, F is the gravitation force so

if the j direction is defined to be vertically upwards. Then


.
Since y2 y1 is the height, h, through which the object has dropped we can write this result in the
form

Mechanics 1 version 1.0


.
The work that would need to be done to lift the object back to its original position is
.
5.2.3

Work done in stretching a spring

The force required to stretch a spring by x is given by


where k is the spring constant
of the spring (units N.m-1). The work done in stretching the spring is then

where

is the final extension.

When the force is removed, the spring recoils and does work
.
5.3

Potential energy

A weight that has been lifted to a height h or a spring that has been stretched by a distance
is
capable of doing work. If a system is capable of doing work, it is said to have potential energy. In the
examples above, the potential energy of the system is given by U2-1 and is measured in joules. It is a
scalar.
5.4

Kinetic energy

An object, of mass m, can also do work because it is moving, with speed v. It is then said to have
kinetic energy given by
.
To derive this result, we consider the (special) case of an object moving along a line. The work that
the object does is given by
.
Here F is the force exerted by the moving object whose mass is considered to be constant.
Kinetic energy is measured in joules. It is a scalar.
5.5

Power

Power generated by a machine is the rate at which it does work, i.e.


.
The units of power are J.s-1; however, this unit has a special name the watt (W). It is a scalar.

Mechanics 1 version 1.0


5.6

Further reading

R C Hibbeler, Engineering mechanics: dynamics, 13th editions in SI units, Pearson 2013.


Section 14.1 The work of a force
Section 14.2 Principle of work and energy
Section 14.4 Power and efficiency (omit the examples).

5.7

Work to do

Question 1
The speed of a train (400 Mg) increases uniformly along a horizontal track from rest to 10
m.s-1, in 100 s. Assuming that the trains engine is responsible for the increase in speed,
determine the average power developed.

Question 2
A motor with efficiency of 0.65 is used to lift a 150 kg mass at 1.5 m.s-1. Determine the
power input provided to the motor.

Question 3
A 1750 kg car travels up a slope (figure 1) at constant speed. The engine generates a
constant power of 37.5 kW, which is transferred to the car with an efficiency of 0.8.
Neglecting drag and rolling resistance, determine the cars velocity.

1
10

Figure 1. Slope over which the car travels.

Question 4
A man, 750 N in weight, runs up a 4.5 m high staircase in 4 s. Determine the power this man
generates. Compare the time taken to the time required for a 100 W light bulb to use the
same amount of energy.

Mechanics 1 version 1.0

Question 5*

A constant power (1 kW) is supplied to a motor (above). The motor operates with an
efficiency, = 0.8. Neglecting friction, determine the velocity of a 100 kg crate, with initial
velocity 0 m.s-1, after 15 s.
th

*(this is Problem 14-55 in the 12 edition, 2010; R C Hibbeler, Engineering mechanics: dynamics, in SI units,
Pearson).

Question 6
Problem 14-65 R C Hibbeler, Engineering mechanics: dynamics, in SI units, Pearson.

Dont look at the answers (on Canvas) until you have either solved, or made several serious
attempts to solve, the problems.

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