Chapter 6: Work and Kinetic Energy
A. Section 1: Work
1. Work: The component of force in the direction of the displacement times the distance. SI unit
is the Joule, J.
𝑊=𝑭 ⃗ ∙𝒔⃗
2. Work in the direction of displacement:
𝑊 = 𝐹𝑠
3. Work in an angle to displacement:
𝑊 = 𝐹𝑠 cos ∅
4. Example 1: Early one October, you go to a pumpkin patch to select your Halloween pumpkin.
You lift the 3.2-kg pumpkin to a height of 1.2 m, then carry it 50.0 m (on level ground) to the
checkout stand. (a) Calculate the work you do on the pumpkin as you lift it from the ground. (b)
How much work do you do on the pumpkin as you carry it from the field?
5. Example 2: Steve exerts a magnitude 210 N on a stalled car as he pushes a distance of 18 m.
The car also has a flat tire, so to make the car straight Steve must push an angle of 30° to the
direction of motion. How much work does Steve do?
6. Example 3: In a helpful mood, Steve pushes a second stalled car with a steady force and
displacement:
⃗𝑭 = (160 𝑁)𝒊̂ − (40 𝑁)𝒋̂
⃗ = (14 m)𝒊̂ + (11 m)𝒋̂
𝒔
How much work does Steve do in this case?
B. Section 2: Kinetic Energy and the Work-Energy Theorem
1. Work and Speed: When a particle undergoes a displacement, it speeds up if the work is
positive; slows down when the work is negative; and maintains the same speed if the work is
zero.
2. Kinetic Energy:
𝑣22 − 𝑣12
𝐹 = 𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝑚
2𝑠
1 1
𝐹𝑠 = 2𝑚𝑣22 − 2𝑚𝑣12
1
𝐾 = 𝑚𝑣 2
2
3. Work-Energy Theorem: Work done by the net force on a particle equals the change in the
particle’s kinetic energy.
𝑊𝑡𝑜𝑡 = 𝐾2 − 𝐾1 = ∆𝐾
Kinetic energy is the work that was done to accelerate it from rest to its present speed.
𝑊=𝐾
4. Example 1: (a) A farmer hitches her tractor to a sled loaded with firewood and pulls it a
distance of 20 m along level ground. The total weight of the sled and load is 14,700 N. The
tractor exerts a constant 5000-N force at an angle of 36.9° above the horizontal. A 3500-N
friction force opposes the sled’s motion. (a) Find the work done each force acting on the sled
and the total work done by all the forces. (b) Suppose the sled’s initial speed is 2.0 m/s. What is
the speed of the sled after it moves 20 m.
C. Section 3: Work and Energy with Varying Forces
1. Work Done by a Varying Force – Straight Line Motion – General
𝑥2
𝑊 = ∫ 𝐹𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑥1
2. Work Done by a Varying Force – Case of Spring
a. Hooke’s Law: Force is proportional to the elongation of the spring
𝐹𝑥 = 𝑘𝑥
Where k is a force constant of the specific spring
b. Work to Stretch Spring
𝑥2 𝑥2
𝑊 = ∫ 𝐹𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = ∫ 𝑘𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑥1 𝑥1
1 1
𝑊 = 𝑘𝑥22 − 𝑘𝑥12
2 2
3. Example: A woman weighing 600 N steps on a bathroom scale that contains a stiff spring. In
equilibrium, the spring is compressed 1.0 cm under her weight. Find the force constant of the
spring and the total work done on it during the compression.
D. Section 4: Power
1. Definition: Time rate at which work is done. SI unit is Watt. 1 W = J/s
2. Power and Work: Equations for average power and instantaneous power
∆𝑊 𝑑𝑊
𝑃𝑎𝑣 = ; 𝑃=
∆𝑡 𝑑𝑡
3. Power and Force
⃗ ∙𝒗
𝑃=𝑭 ⃗