Chapter 7 — Conservation of Energy | Problem Set

Problem 1 — Ball Dropped from Rest (Isolated System)

A ball of mass m = 0.500 kg is released from rest at height h = 4.00 m above the ground. Neglect air
resistance.

(a) Using conservation of mechanical energy, find the speed of the ball at height y = 1.50 m above
the ground.
(b) Find the speed just before it hits the ground (y = 0).
(c) If instead the ball is thrown downward with initial speed vi = 2.00 m/s from the same height,
what is its speed just before impact?

v=0 Initial: K=0, U=mgh

v=?
At height y: K=?, U=mgy

U = 0 (reference)
Figure 1. Ball released from height h, passing intermediate height y.

Solution
(a) The ball + Earth system is isolated (no nonconservative forces). Apply conservation of mechanical
energy:
K_i + U_i = K_f + U_f
0 + mgh = (1/2)mv2 + mgy
v = sqrt(2g(h - y)) = sqrt(2 x 9.80 x (4.00 - 1.50))
v = 7.00 m/s
(b) Set y = 0:
v = sqrt(2gh) = sqrt(2 x 9.80 x 4.00)
v = 8.85 m/s
(c) With initial downward speed v_i = 2.00 m/s:
(1/2)mv_i2 + mgh = (1/2)mv_f2
v_f = sqrt(v_i2 + 2gh) = sqrt((2.00)2 + 2(9.80)(4.00))
v_f = 9.07 m/s
Insight: The direction of the initial velocity does not affect the final speed — energy is a scalar, not a vector.
Chapter 7 — Conservation of Energy | Problem Set

Problem 2 — Block Pulled on a Rough Surface (Kinetic Friction)

A block of mass m = 6.00 kg, initially at rest, is pulled along a rough horizontal surface by a constant
force F = 12.0 N applied at angle θ above the horizontal. The coefficient of kinetic friction is µk =
0.200.

(a) If θ = 0° (horizontal), find the speed of the block after it travels d = 3.00 m.
(b) At what angle θ should F be applied to maximize the block's speed after the same distance?
Find that maximum speed.
n

F
θ
f_k m

mg

d = 3.00 m

Figure 2. Block pulled by force F at angle θ on a rough horizontal surface.

Solution
(a) With θ = 0°, the normal force equals mg:
f_k = µ_k · mg = (0.200)(6.00)(9.80) = 11.76 N
Work-energy theorem: (1/2)mv_f2 = Fd - f_k·d
(1/2)(6.00)v_f2 = (12.0 - 11.76)(3.00) = 0.720 J
v_f = 0.490 m/s
(b) At angle θ the normal force is n = mg − F sinθ, so:
K_f = Fd cosθ − µ_k(mg − F sinθ)d
Differentiate K_f with respect to θ and set equal to zero:
dK_f/dθ = −Fd sinθ + µ_k · Fd cosθ = 0 ■ tanθ = µ_k
θ = arctan(0.200) = 11.3°
Substituting back to find the maximum speed:
n = (6.00)(9.80) − 12.0 sin11.3° = 58.8 − 2.35 = 56.45 N
K_f = 12.0(3.00)cos11.3° − (0.200)(56.45)(3.00) = 35.3 − 33.9 = 1.43 J
v_f = sqrt(2 × 1.43 / 6.00)
v_f,max = 0.690 m/s
Insight: Raising the angle reduces friction (smaller n) but also reduces the horizontal component of F. The
optimum balances these two competing effects.
Chapter 7 — Conservation of Energy | Problem Set

Problem 3 — Block-Spring System with and without Friction

A block of mass m = 2.00 kg is attached to a horizontal spring (force constant k = 800 N/m). The
spring is compressed x0 = 5.00 cm and released from rest.

(a) If the surface is frictionless, find the speed of the block as it passes through the equilibrium
position x = 0.
(b) If a constant kinetic friction force fk = 3.50 N acts on the block, find the speed at x = 0.
(c) For case (b), how much mechanical energy is converted to internal (thermal) energy during the
motion?

spring constant k x=0

m v=?

x_0 = compression

Figure 3. Compressed spring releases block along a horizontal surface.

Solution
(a) Frictionless — all spring PE converts to KE:
(1/2)kx_02 = (1/2)mv_f2
v_f = x_0 · sqrt(k/m) = 0.0500 · sqrt(800/2.00)
v_f = 1.00 m/s
(b) Apply the modified work-energy theorem with friction:
K_f = (1/2)kx_02 − f_k · x_0
K_f = (1/2)(800)(0.0500)2 − (3.50)(0.0500) = 1.00 − 0.175 = 0.825 J
v_f = sqrt(2K_f / m) = sqrt(2 × 0.825 / 2.00)
v_f = 0.908 m/s
(c) Energy dissipated equals the work done by friction:
∆E_int = f_k · d = (3.50)(0.0500)
∆E_int = 0.175 J
Check: E_spring = K_f + ∆E_int ■ 1.00 J = 0.825 J + 0.175 J ✓
Chapter 7 — Conservation of Energy | Problem Set

Problem 4 — Simple Pendulum: Speed and Tension at the Bottom

A simple pendulum has a bob of mass m = 0.300 kg on a string of length L = 0.800 m. The bob is
pulled aside so the string makes θ = 40.0° with the vertical, then released from rest. Neglect air
resistance.

(a) Find the height h through which the bob descends from the release point to the lowest point.
(b) Using conservation of mechanical energy, find the speed of the bob at the lowest point.
(c) Find the tension in the string at the lowest point of the swing.

v=0
h
v=?

Figure 4. Pendulum released from angle θ swings to lowest point, falling height h.

Solution
(a) Geometry of the pendulum:
h = L(1 − cosθ) = 0.800(1 − cos40.0°) = 0.800(1 − 0.766)
h = 0.187 m
(b) Conservation of mechanical energy (isolated system):
mgh = (1/2)mv2 ■ v = sqrt(2gh)
v = sqrt(2 × 9.80 × 0.187)
v = 1.91 m/s
(c) At the lowest point the bob moves in a circular arc. Applying Newton's second law in the radial
direction (upward positive):
T − mg = mv2/L
T = m(g + v2/L) = 0.300(9.80 + (1.91)2/0.800)
T = 0.300(9.80 + 4.56) = 0.300 × 14.36
T = 4.31 N
Note: The tension exceeds the weight (mg = 2.94 N) because it must provide both the upward support
against gravity and the centripetal force for circular motion.
Chapter 7 — Conservation of Energy | Problem Set

Problem 5 — Connected Blocks: Pulley System with Friction

A block of mass m1 = 5.00 kg rests on a rough horizontal surface (µk = 0.250). It is connected by a
light string over a frictionless pulley to a hanging block of mass m2 = 3.00 kg. The system starts from
rest.

(a) Using energy methods, find the speed of both blocks after m2 has fallen h = 0.400 m.
(b) How much energy is dissipated by friction during this displacement?
(c) Verify the result of (a) using Newton's second law and kinematics.

v
m■
f_k

µ_k = kinetic friction coefficient

m■

v
h

Figure 5. Block m■ on a rough table connected over a pulley to hanging block m■.

Solution
(a) The system is isolated; write the full energy equation:
∆K + ∆U_g + ∆E_int = 0
Both blocks share speed v: ∆K = (1/2)(m_1 + m_2)v2
∆U_g = −m_2 g h (m_1 stays level; m_2 loses gravitational PE)
∆E_int = µ_k m_1 g h (friction on m_1 over distance h)
(1/2)(m_1+m_2)v2 − m_2gh + µ_k m_1 gh = 0
v = sqrt[ 2gh(m_2 − µ_k m_1) / (m_1 + m_2) ]
v = sqrt[ 2(9.80)(0.400)(3.00 − 0.250×5.00) / 8.00 ]
v = sqrt[ 7.84 × 1.75 / 8.00 ] = sqrt(1.715)
v = 1.31 m/s
(b) Friction energy loss:
∆E_int = µ_k m_1 g h = (0.250)(5.00)(9.80)(0.400)
∆E_int = 4.90 J
(c) Newton's second law (taking m_2 downward as positive):
m_2 g − µ_k m_1 g = (m_1 + m_2) a
a = g(m_2 − µ_k m_1)/(m_1 + m_2) = 9.80 × 1.75 / 8.00 = 2.144 m/s2
Kinematics from rest: v2 = 2ah = 2(2.144)(0.400) = 1.715 m2/s2
v = 1.31 m/s ✓
Both the energy method and Newton's law give the same answer, confirming that energy conservation and F
= ma are fully consistent formulations.