WORK, ENERGY

AND POWER
Camille V. Semilla
Mark C. Tawiran

WORK
Work results when a force acts upon an object to
cause a displacement (or a motion) or, in some
instances, to hinder a motion. Three variables are of
importance in this definition - force, displacement,
and the extent to which the force causes or hinders
the displacement. Each of these three variables find
their way into the equation for work.

Formula:
Work = Force Displacement
Cosine(theta)
W = F d cos ( theta )

 Since the standard metric unit of force is the Newton

and the standard metric unit of displacement is the
meter, then the standard metric unit of work is a
Newtonmeter, defined as a Joule and abbreviated
with a J.

POWER
Power is defined as the rate at which work is done
upon an object. Like all rate quantities, power is a
time-based quantity. Power is related to how fast
a job is done. Two identical jobs or tasks can be
done at different rates - one slowly or and one
rapidly. The work is the same in each case (since
they are identical jobs) but the power is different.

Formula:
Power = Work / time
P=W/t

 The unit for standard metric work is the Joule

and the standard metric unit for time is the
second, so the standard metric unit for power
is a Joule / second, defined as a Watt and
abbreviated W. Special attention should be
taken so as not to confuse the unit Watt,
abbreviated W, with the quantity work, also
abbreviated by the letter W.

Other formula for power:

P = F cos(theta) (d/t)
or
P = F v cos(theta)

ENERGY

There are two forms of mechanical

energy - potential energy and kinetic
energy.

POTENTIAL ENERGY
Potential energy is the stored energy of position.
In this set of problems, we will be most concerned
with the stored energy due to the vertical position
of an object within Earth's gravitational field.
Such energy is known as the gravitational
potential energy (PEgrav).

FORMULA:
PEgrav= mgh
wheremis the mass of the object (with standard units of
kilograms),gis the acceleration of gravity (9.8 m/s/s) andhis
the height of the object (with standard units of meters) above
some arbitraily defined zero level (such as the ground or the
top of a lab table in a physics room).

KINETIC ENERGY
Kinetic energy is defined as the energy
possessed by an object due to its motion.
An object must be moving to possess
kinetic energy. The amount of kinetic
energy (KE) possessed by a moving object
is dependent upon mass and speed.

Formula
KE = 0.5 m v2
wheremis the mass of the object (with
standard units of kilograms) andvis the speed
of the object (with standard units of m/s).

PROBLEMS

 1. Renatta Gass is out with her friends. Misfortune occurs

and Renatta and her friends find themselves getting
aworkout. They apply a cumulative force of 1080 N to
push the car 218 m to the nearest fuel station. Determine
the work done on the car.

a) 5.35 x 105J
b) 2.35 x 104J
c) 2.35 x 105J
d) 5.35 x 104J

 1. Renatta Gass is out with her friends. Misfortune occurs

and Renatta and her friends find themselves getting
aworkout. They apply a cumulative force of 1080 N to
push the car 218 m to the nearest fuel station. Determine
the work done on the car.

a) 5.35 x 105J
b) 2.35 x 104J
c) 2.35 x 105J *
d) 5.35 x 104J

 2. Nolan Ryan reportedly had the fastest pitch in

baseball,clocked at 100.9 mi/hr (45.0 m/s) If such a pitch
had been directed vertically upwards at this same speed,
then to what height would it have traveled?

a) 103 m
b) 101 m
c) 104 m
d) 102 m

 2. Nolan Ryan reportedly had the fastest pitch in

baseball,clocked at 100.9 mi/hr (45.0 m/s) If such a pitch
had been directed vertically upwards at this same speed,
then to what height would it have traveled?

a) 103 m*
b) 101 m
c) 104 m
d) 102 m

 3. In the Incline Energy lab, partners Anna Litical and

Noah Formula give a 1.00-kg cart an initial speed of 2.35
m/s from a height of 0.125 m above the lab table.
Determine the speed of the cart when it is located 0.340 m
above the lab table.

a) 1.1 m/s
b) 1.2 m/s
c) 2.1 m/s
d) 1.0 m/s

 3. In the Incline Energy lab, partners Anna Litical and

Noah Formula give a 1.00-kg cart an initial speed of 2.35
m/s from a height of 0.125 m above the lab table.
Determine the speed of the cart when it is located 0.340 m
above the lab table.

a) 1.1 m/s*
b) 1.2 m/s
c) 2.1 m/s
d) 1.0 m/s

 4. Hans Full is pulling on a rope to drag his backpack to

school across the ice. He pulls upwards and rightwards
with a force of 22.9 Newtons at an angle of 35 degrees
above the horizontal to drag his backpack a horizontal
distance of 129 meters to the right. Determine the work
(in Joules) done upon the backpack.

a) 2.52 x 103J
b) 2.42 x 104J
c) 2.32 x 103J
d) 2.42 x 103J

 4. Hans Full is pulling on a rope to drag his backpack to

school across the ice. He pulls upwards and rightwards
with a force of 22.9 Newtons at an angle of 35 degrees
above the horizontal to drag his backpack a horizontal
distance of 129 meters to the right. Determine the work
(in Joules) done upon the backpack.

a) 2.52 x 103J
b) 2.42 x 104J
c) 2.32 x 103J
d) 2.42 x 103J*

 5. (m=56.8 kg) is in her saucer sled moving at 12.6 m/s at

the bottom of the sledding hill near Bluebird Lake. She
approaches a long embankment inclined upward at 16
above the horizontal. As she slides up the embankment,
she encounters a coefficient of friction of 0.128.
Determine the height to which she will travel before
coming to rest.

a) 6.60 m
b) 5.60 m
c) 5.50 m
d) 6.50m

 5. (m=56.8 kg) is in her saucer sled moving at 12.6 m/s at

the bottom of the sledding hill near Bluebird Lake. She
approaches a long embankment inclined upward at 16
above the horizontal. As she slides up the embankment,
she encounters a coefficient of friction of 0.128.
Determine the height to which she will travel before
coming to rest.

a) 6.60 m
b) 5.60 m*
c) 5.50 m
d) 6.50m

 6. Matthew starts from rest on top of 8.45 m high sledding

hill. He slides down the 32-degree incline and across the
plateau at its base. The coefficient of friction between the
sled and snow is 0.128 for both the hill and the plateau.
Matthew and the sled have a combined mass of 27.5 kg.
Determine the distance which Matthew will slide along
the level surface before coming to a complete stop.
a) 49.5 m
b) 50.5 m
c) 51.5 m
d) 52.5 m

 6. Matthew starts from rest on top of 8.45 m high sledding

hill. He slides down the 32-degree incline and across the
plateau at its base. The coefficient of friction between the
sled and snow is 0.128 for both the hill and the plateau.
Matthew and the sled have a combined mass of 27.5 kg.
Determine the distance which Matthew will slide along
the level surface before coming to a complete stop.
a) 49.5 m
b) 50.5 m
c) 51.5 m
d) 52.5 m*

 7. In April of 1976, Chicago Cub slugger Dave Kingman

hit a home run which cleared the Wrigley Field fence and
hit a house located 530 feet (162 m) from home plate.
Suppose that the 0.145-kg baseball left Kingman's bat at
92.7 m/s and that it lost 10% of its original energy on its
flight through the air. Determine the speed of the ball
when it cleared the stadium wall at a height of 25.6 m.

a) 85.0 m/s
b) 80.0 m/s
c) 90.0 m/s
d) 95.0 m/s

 7. In April of 1976, Chicago Cub slugger Dave Kingman

hit a home run which cleared the Wrigley Field fence and
hit a house located 530 feet (162 m) from home plate.
Suppose that the 0.145-kg baseball left Kingman's bat at
92.7 m/s and that it lost 10% of its original energy on its
flight through the air. Determine the speed of the ball
when it cleared the stadium wall at a height of 25.6 m.

a) 85.0 m/s*
b) 80.0 m/s
c) 90.0 m/s
d) 95.0 m/s

 8. Dizzy is speeding along at 22.8 m/s as she approaches

the level section of track near the loading dock of the
Whizzer roller coaster ride. A braking system abruptly
brings the 328-kg car (rider mass included) to a speed of
2.9 m/s over a distance of 5.55 meters. Determine the
braking force applied to Dizzy's car.

a) 1.51 x 105 N
b) 2.51 x 104N
c) 1.51 x 104N
d) 2.51 x 105N

 8. Dizzy is speeding along at 22.8 m/s as she approaches

the level section of track near the loading dock of the
Whizzer roller coaster ride. A braking system abruptly
brings the 328-kg car (rider mass included) to a speed of
2.9 m/s over a distance of 5.55 meters. Determine the
braking force applied to Dizzy's car.

a) 1.51 x 105 N
b) 2.51 x 104N
c) 1.51 x 104N*
d) 2.51 x 105N

 9. A 6.8-kg toboggan is kicked on a frozen pond, such that

it acquires a speed of 1.9 m/s. The coefficient of friction
between the pond and the toboggan is 0.13. Determine
the distance which the toboggan slides before coming to
rest.

a) 14 m
b) 0.14 m
c) 1.4 m
d) 140 m

 9. A 6.8-kg toboggan is kicked on a frozen pond, such that

it acquires a speed of 1.9 m/s. The coefficient of friction
between the pond and the toboggan is 0.13. Determine
the distance which the toboggan slides before coming to
rest.

a) 14 m
b) 0.14 m
c) 1.4 m*
d) 140 m

 10. Pete Zaria works on weekends at Barnaby's Pizza Parlor. His primary
responsibility is to fill drink orders for customers. He fills a pitcher full of
Cola, places it on the counter top and gives the 2.6-kg pitcher a 8.8 N
forward push over a distance of 48 cm to send it to a customer at the end
of the counter. The coefficient of friction between the pitcher and the
counter top is 0.28.
I. Determine the work done by Pete on the pitcher during the 48 cm.
a)
b)
c)
d)

4.2 J
5.2 J
6.2 J
7.2 J

II. Determine the work done by friction upon the pitcher .

a)
b)
c)
d)

-3.5 J
-3.6 J
-3.3 J
-3.4 J

III.Determine the total work done upon the pitcher .

a)
b)
c)
d)

0.9 J
0.8 J
0.7 J
0.6 J

IV. Determine the kinetic energy of the pitcher when Pete is done
pushing it.
a) 0.9 J
b) 0.8 J
c) 0.7 J
d) 0.6 J

V. Determine the speed of the pitcher when Pete is done

pushing it.
a) 0.6 m/s
b) 0.65 m/s
c) 0.7 m/s
d) None of the above

 10. Pete Zaria works on weekends at Barnaby's Pizza Parlor. His primary
responsibility is to fill drink orders for customers. He fills a pitcher full of
Cola, places it on the counter top and gives the 2.6-kg pitcher a 8.8 N
forward push over a distance of 48 cm to send it to a customer at the end
of the counter. The coefficient of friction between the pitcher and the
counter top is 0.28.
I. Determine the work done by Pete on the pitcher during the 48 cm.
a)
b)
c)
d)

4.2 J*
5.2 J
6.2 J
7.2 J

II. Determine the work done by friction upon the pitcher .

a)
b)
c)
d)

-3.5 J
-3.6 J
-3.3 J
-3.4 J*

III.Determine the total work done upon the pitcher .

a)
b)
c)
d)

0.9 J
0.8 J*
0.7 J
0.6 J

IV. Determine the kinetic energy of the pitcher when Pete is done
pushing it.
a) 0.9 J
b) 0.8 J*
c) 0.7 J
d) 0.6 J

V. Determine the speed of the pitcher when Pete is done

pushing it.
a) 0.6 m/s
b) 0.65 m/s
c) 0.7 m/s
d) None of the above*