Chapter 8: Conservation of Energy

Summary from Chapter 7

Kinetic Energy = K = 1/2mv2
Work = W=

S.I. unit= Joule

r r

F (r )dr = F.R (when F constant)

r initial

Work-Kinetic energy theorem:

Work done = change in Kinetic energy
Conservative force (all but friction): work for any closed loop
path equals zero.
Potential energy (for conservative forces only)
U(r) = - F ( x)dx
final r

reference

Conservation of energy: Ei = Ef = Kf + Uf= constant of motion

Generalized conservation of energy: Ef = Ei + work done by

friction (really work done by all non-conservative forces)
Note: work done by friction is always negative and
corresponds to conversion of macroscopic energy to heat,
microscopic energy.
Calculus says if U(x) = examples:

final r

F ( x)dx

reference

then F(x) = -dU/dx

gravity: F = -mg

U = mgy

Fy = -d(mgy)/dy
(also, Fx = -dU/dx = 0)

spring: F = -kx

U = 1/2kx2

F(x) = -d(1/2kx2)/dx

Example: How high do you have to start a loop-the-loop?

h
2R

conservation of E gives v as a function of change in height:

Ei = Ui = mgh

(We are putting U = 0 at ground level)

Ef = Uf + Kf = mg(2R) + 1/2 mv2

Ei = Ef or 1/2 mv2 = mg(h-2R)

or v2 = 2g(h-2R)

What is min. speed (vm) to stay on track? F = ma becomes (in

radial direction)
N + mg = mv2/R
or

N = mv2/R-mg

min speed when N = 0, or mvm2/R = mg, i.e. vm2 = Rg.

Put this result for min vm2 in above to get min starting height,
hm
from above v2 = 2g(h-2R) and vm2 =Rg
or 2g(hm-2R) = Rg
5Rg = 2ghm or hm = 5/2R.

Example: What is max "g force" swinging from a long rope

off a high cliff?
L
v

F = ma becomes (choosing up as + dirction)

T-mg = mv2/L or max "g force" = T = mg + mv2/L
need v2 which we get from conservation of energy
Ei = Ef
choosing U = 0 at ground:
i.e. Ui + Ki = Uf +Kf
mgL +0 = 0 +1/2mv2 or v2 = 2gL
T = mg + m(2gL)/L = 3 mg (and independent of L)

Example: A spring gun shoots a mass across the top of a table

and off the edge. What is speed of mass when it hits floor?
Ignore all friction. Spring constant = k.
spring comp by d

H
v

Think: you can answer in 1 step!

What would change if friction on table top included?

Example: Block slides with friction on an inclined plane

5 Kg block set in motion with speed of 8 m/s on an inclined

plane titled 45 deg. to horizontal. The block stops after going
10 m.
a. What is change in kinetic energy of block?
b.

What is change in potential energy of block?

c.

What is work by gravity on block?

d.

What is work done by friction on the block?

e.

What is the force of friction?

Soln: distance traveled (on hypotenuse) is 10 m. Vertical drop

is 10 cos(45) = 7.07 m.
Put U=0 where m stops
a.

Initial K = 0.5(5)(82) = 160 J

Final K = 0, change in K = -160 J.

b.

U = mgy, or the change in U is (5)(9.8)(7.07) = - 346.4 J

c.

Work done by gravity = +346.4 J

d. Ef = Ei + (work done by friction)

Ef =0
Ei= 160 + (346.4 J) = 506.4 J
Hence, work done by friction = - 506.4 J.
e. Work done by friction = (Force)(distance)
or (-506.4) = (-Ff)(10m) or force of friction (magnitude0 = 50.6
N

An example from Chemistry: atom-atom potentials

How much energy is released when a carbon atoms is burned to
form C-O?
Assume the atom-atom potential is a "6-12" potential, i.e.
U(x) = a/x12 b/x6
where a and b are positive constants. This is known as a 6-12
potential.
Given a and b, you can plot U:

Initially, each atom has ~ 0 K and ~0 U. As they approach each

other, they will tend to settle at Umin (that is where the force is
zero)
Since energy is conserved (microscopically), after "burning"
there is a kinetic energy of magnitude Umin (but postive since
the sum of the two is the initial energy 0) released- heat.
This simple potential energy diagram tells you a lot
inter atomic distance in C-O molecule
energy released (or energy needed to split molecule into
atoms)
force holding C-O atom at equilibrium (which tells you
how it vibrates, what frequency light it adsorbs)
Potential energy diagrams can tell you a lot without doing
much work.

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Power: P = (work)/(time) = dW/dt

S.I. unit of power = J/sec = watt
Common (not SI) unit is Horse Power = 746 watts
Example: How much power (work per second) is needed to
lift a 1000 kg elevator at a speed of 4 m/s?
Easy way: Just calculate the work done each second.
In 1 sec, raise 1000 kg by 4 m. Work/sec. = (force)
(distance/sec) = mgh = (1000)(9.8)(4) = 39200 J/sec = 39200
watts = 52.5 HP. Fast elevators need big motors (even with
counter balance)!!!

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Example: How big an engine is needed to move our Honda

Civic at a constant speed of 33.3 m/s?
This is an old problem where we calculated drag force: High
speed case limits miles per gallon in cars:
Fd = -(0.5Acd)v2
for a Honda Civic, A = 1.9 m2 and cd = 0.36
at v = 120 km/hour = 120,000m/(60)(60sec) = 33.3 m/s
Fd = 0.5 (1.25 kg/m3)(1.9m2)(0.36)(33.3m/s)2= 474 N

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MPG calculation:
Work to go 1 km = (474 N)(1000 m) = 0.474 MJ
Work to go 1 mile = 1.6 km = 1.6(0.474 MJ) = 0.76 MJ
Gasoline contains 125 MJ per gallon and engine is ~25%
efficient, ie. the useful work we can get from the gasoline is
0.25(125 MJ) = 31 MJ
Or the gas needed to go 1 mile is 0.76 MJ/(31 MJ/gallon) =
0.0245 gallons, or (inverting)
1/(0.0245 gallons/mile) = 40.1 MPG.
To make a more efficient car, you need to decrease A, or
decrease cd, or increase engine efficiency (e.g. diesel), or drive
slower.

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All we need to determine required engine power is calculate

work done in 1 sec.
Work/sec. = (force)(distance/sec.) = (474 N)(33m) = 15,642
J/sec = 15,642 watts = 20.96 HP.
Interesting: you do not need a huge engine to drive 120
Km/hour = 72 MPH.
Note, easy to calculate max car speed by just putting power for
drag force = to engine HP. For example, if the Honda engine
has 20.96 Hp, this is max speed. If engine HP doubled, max
speed increased by a factor 2 (because drag ~v2).

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Some vehicle energetics: What is kinetic energy of our 1000

kg Honda going 33 m/s (74 MPH)?
KE = m v2 = 0.5(1000)(33)2 = 0.5 MJ
Gasoline = 125 MJ/gallon@25% efficiency = 31 MJ/gallon
useful energy.
How much gas required to get our Honda up to highway speed?
Need 0.5 MJ requires 0.5 MJ of work (Work-Kinetic energy
theorem).
This requires 0.5 MJ/(31 MJ) gallon = 0.016 gallons of gas
(cost@$3.00/gallon = $0.05)

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Big trucks have M = 50,000 kg.

KE at highway speed = 0.5(50,000)(33)2 = 25 MJ.
This required 25 MJ/(31 MJ/gallon)= 0.80 gallons of fuel (at a
cost of $3/gallon = $2.40).
Trucks hate to slow down$$$$
Gasoline contains a huge amount of energy (125 MJ/gallon)
compared to 50 ton truck at highway speed is ~25 MJ

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Example: A 1000 kg car accelerates with a = 4 m/s2.

a.

What is the speed of the car as a function of time?

b.

What is the kinetic energy of the car as a function of time?

c. What is the power supplied by engine as a function of

time?
a.

Constant a so, v = vo +at = at = 4t

b.

K = 1/2mv2 = (0.5)(1000)(4t)2 = 8000t2 J

c. Power = (change in work)/(change in time) = dW/dt =

16000t = 21.4t HP
if you don't believe, do it numerically, i.e. P (t = 5 sec) = {K(t=
5.001)-KE(t= 5.000)}/(5.001-5.000) = {200080-200000}/
(.001) = 80,000 watts.

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Example: How much power needed for our 1000 kg Honda to

climb a 10 degree hill at 33.3m/s, neglecting drag?
Calculate work done in 1 sec.
W = mg(h) whereh = change in elevation in 1 sec=33.3
sin(10) = 5.78m.
Power = W/sec. = mg(h) = (1000)(9.8)(5.78) = 56600 watts =
76 HP.
Think about your big car (2000 or 3000 kg), add drag, add
ability to accelerate on hill.
Hybrid cars (engine plus battery/motor) make sense.

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Some human energy considerations

Typical daily energy intake is 2000 calories (really
Kilocalories) = (2000 cal)(4186 J/cal) ~8.4 MJ
Human body ~20% efficient. So useful energy ~(8.4 MJ)(0.2)
= 1.7 MJ.
Your body needs a large fraction of this just to maintain
temperature, etc, i.e. you burn energy when just sitting or
sleeping.
What is kinetic energy of a runner of a m = 100 kg, v = 10 m/s
(100 m dash in 10 sec).
K = 1/2mv2 = (100)(102) = 0.005 MJ

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How much energy did Dave need to climb out of Grand

Canyon?
Grand Canyon (1 mile = 1600 m) deep
E = mgh = (100 Kg)(9.8 m/s2)(1600 m) = 1.6 MJ

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Summary
1. When all the forces acting on a mass are conservative (i.e.
gravity, spring... but not friction) the sum of kinetic plus
potential energy remains constant:
E= K+U = constant, conservation of energy
2. Friction is a derived force that converts macroscopic
energy (K, U) to microscopic energy (K, U of atoms and
molecules) i.e. heat.
3. Since all fundamental forces are conservative, if all forms
of energy are included, there is a global conservation of energy
4.

Power is work (provided or used) per second (J/sec = Watt)

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Clicker question
A 10,000 kg truck is traveling 30 m/s up a hill that inclines 1 m
for every 30 m of (horizontal) travel. How much work does
gravity do on this truck in 1 sec?
1m
30 m
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

+100 J
-1000J
+10000J
-100000J
+1000000J

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