Engineering Science

4.3

POWER

4.3.1 Power is defined as the rate at which work is done. Power can also be defined as
rate of energy transferred. SI unit for power is Watt (W).

where:

W
P=
t

P is power in Watt (W)

W is work in J

P=

F s
t

t is time in s
P = Fv

where:

F is Force in N
v is velocity in ms-1

* Notes: 1hp = 746W

4.3.2 Efficiency
The efficiency of a machine can be defined as ratio of useful output energy to the total
energy supplied into the machine.

Efficiency, =

Pout
100%
Pin

Pout = Output power

Pin = Input power

or,

Work done
100%
Work input

Work done
100%
Energyinput

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Energyoutput
Energyinput

100%

If the efficiency of a machine is 100%, it is regarded as a perfect machine. However, the

efficiency of most machines is always less than 100% because work needs to be done to
overcome friction which in turn is transformed into heat.
A machine needs energy to do work. Some machine consumes a lot of energy but do very
little work. Machines like these are not efficient.

Examples:

1. A man takes 20 minutes to go up 30 steps of stairs. If work needed to climb one step of
stairs is 200J, calculate the power of the man.

Solution:

P=

W
t
6000
1200

t = 20 x 60 = 1200s
W = 30 steps x 200 = 6000J

= 5W

2. A motor is used to pump water from a river at a depht of 6m at a rate of 30N per minute.
What is the power of the pump?

Solution:
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P=

W mgh F s
=
=
t
t
t

30 6
60

= 3W

3. A machine with 42% efficiency is used to lift a mass of 1050kg to 17m height. Calculate
the work done by the machine.

Solution:

Work done by the machine = output work = Energyinput

Work done
100%
Energyinput

42% =

mgh
100%
Winput

Winput =

1050 9.8117
0.42

= 416.93kJ
4. A machine requires 2200J of energy to raise 32kg of block over 5.5m. Find the
machines efficiency.

Solution:

Eout
100%
Ein

32 9.81 5.5
100%
2200

= 78.48%

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5. A cranes efficiency to lift a load of 5000kg through a vertical height of 20m in 5s is 80%.
Determine the input power of the crane.

Solution:

80% =
Pout =

Pout
100%
Pinput

mgh
t

Pin =

196200
0 .8

= 245.25kW

5000 9.81 20
5

= 196200W

TUTORIAL

1.

Define:
a) Work
b) Energy
c) Power

2.

Give two differences between characteristics of potential energy and kinetic energy.

3.

A 50kg of wood was lifted 2m from the floor. Find the work done.

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4.

A man pulls a luggage along 26m with 58N that makes an angle 30o with vertical. After
that he pulls the bag with 23N along 50m in the direction of the force. Calculate the
total work done by the man.

5.

A 200N of box was carried upstairs which 45o from horizontal. (Given that the vertical
direction from floor and the top is 10m). After that the box was pull with 50N along 35m
in the direction of force. Calculate the work that has been done.

6.

A ball of mass 500g which is on rest moves with velocity of v m/s when kicked by a
child with a force of 2N.
a) Calculate the work done by the child at a time the ball crossed a pole which is 5m
away from the starting point.
b) Calculate the velocity of the ball when crossing the pole.

7.

A simple pendulum bob tied with a string as shown in the figure 4(g). If A is the highest
point of the pendulum bob, what is the velocity of the pendulum bob at point B.

A
8cm

B
5cm

Figure 4(g)

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8.

A 1500N of force acts on a block of mass 150kg which is at rest on a horizontal smooth
floor. If the force acts for 5 seconds, calculate the acceleration of the block and the
work done by the force. Calculate also the kinetic energy of the block after 5 seconds.

9.

A marble with mass of 200g is released from a height of 20m and bounces back to
13m in height after hitting the floor. Calculate the percentage loss of energy after it hits
the floor and the maximum potential energy during its upward motion.

10. A ball of mass 1.2 kg falls from a cliff of height 15m. Calculate :
a)

the gravitational potential energy of the ball just before it falls.

b)

the kinetic energy of the ball just before it touches the ground.

c)

the velocity of the ball just before it touches the ground.

11. A constant force of 2N acts continuously increasing the kinetic energy of an object from
10J to 30J. How much is the distance travelled by the object within that time?

12. A person on the street wants to throw a 200g ball straight up to a person leaning at the
window 6m above street level. Find the velocity that the person needed to throw so
that it reaches the person at the window.
13. A car with a mass of 2000kg moves with a constant velocity of 50kmh-1. The car
suddenly brakes and stops within 15m. Calculate the work done to stop the car.

14. A motor with two vacuums have a nett output power of 1hp and 0.5hp each.
a) How much work in Joules can each vacuum do in 3 minutes?
b) How long does it take for each vacuum to do 97kJ of works?

15. A car moves with constant velocity of 110km/h. Find the power of the car if the force
exerted is 400N.

16. Motor of an electric drill with efficiency of 80% has an input power of 600W. How much
work done by the drill in 30s?
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17. A 6000W machine is spinning a cable around the drum. If the cable lifting a load with
300kg to a height of 4m in 3s, calculate:
a) Output power
b) Machine efficiency

ANSWER

1.

a) Work is measured by the product of force and displacement of the body in the
direction of force.
b) Energy is the ability or capacity to do work or capacity of a physical system to
perform work.
c) Power is rate at which work is done or rate of energy transferred.

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2.
Kinetic Energy

Potential Energy

Energy possessed by an object due to its Energy stored in the object because of its
motion.
Ek =

position or state.
Ep = mgh

1 2
mv
2

3.

981J

4.

1904J

5.

4578.43J

6.

a) 10J

7.

0.767m/s

8.

187.5kJ

9.

Energy lost = 35%,

10. a) 176.58J

b)

6.32m/s

Ep = 2.551J
b)

176.58J

c)

17.16m/s

b)

t1 = 130s,

11. 10m
12. 10.85m/s
13. 192900J
14. a) W1 = 134.28kJ,

W2 = 67.14kJ

t2 = 260s

15. 12.22kW
16. 14.4kJ
17. a) 3924W

b)

65.4%

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