<< Chapter < Page Chapter >> Page >

Note that, for conservative forces, we do not directly calculate the work they do; rather, we consider their effects through their corresponding potential energies, just as we did in [link] . Note also that we do not consider details of the path taken—only the starting and ending points are important (as long as the path is not impossible). This assumption is usually a tremendous simplification, because the path may be complicated and forces may vary along the way.

Phet explorations: energy skate park

Learn about conservation of energy with a skater dude! Build tracks, ramps and jumps for the skater and view the kinetic energy, potential energy and friction as he moves. You can also take the skater to different planets or even space!

Energy Skate Park

Test prep for ap courses

Two 4.0 kg masses are connected to each other by a spring with a force constant of 25 N/m and a rest length of 1.0 m. If the spring has been compressed to 0.80 m in length and the masses are traveling toward each other at 0.50 m/s (each), what is the total energy in the system?

  1. 1.0 J
  2. 1.5 J
  3. 9.0 J
  4. 8.0 J
Got questions? Get instant answers now!

A spring with a force constant of 5000 N/m and a rest length of 3.0 m is used in a catapult. When compressed to 1.0 m, it is used to launch a 50 kg rock. However, there is an error in the release mechanism, so the rock gets launched almost straight up. How high does it go, and how fast is it going when it hits the ground?

20 m high, 20 m/s.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

What information do you need to calculate the kinetic energy and potential energy of a spring? Potential energy due to gravity? How many objects do you need information about for each of these cases?

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

You are loading a toy dart gun, which has two settings, the more powerful with the spring compressed twice as far as the lower setting. If it takes 5.0 J of work to compress the dart gun to the lower setting, how much work does it take for the higher setting?

  1. 20 J
  2. 10 J
  3. 2.5 J
  4. 40 J

(a)

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Describe a system you use daily with internal potential energy.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Old-fashioned pendulum clocks are powered by masses that need to be wound back to the top of the clock about once a week to counteract energy lost due to friction and to the chimes. One particular clock has three masses: 4.0 kg, 4.0 kg, and 6.0 kg. They can drop 1.3 meters. How much energy does the clock use in a week?

  1. 51 J
  2. 76 J
  3. 127 J
  4. 178 J

(d)

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

A water tower stores not only water, but (at least part of) the energy to move the water. How much? Make reasonable estimates for how much water is in the tower, and other quantities you need.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Old-fashioned pocket watches needed to be wound daily so they wouldn’t run down and lose time, due to the friction in the internal components. This required a large number of turns of the winding key, but not much force per turn, and it was possible to overwind and break the watch. How was the energy stored?

  1. A small mass raised a long distance
  2. A large mass raised a short distance
  3. A weak spring deformed a long way
  4. A strong spring deformed a short way

(c)

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Some of the very first clocks invented in China were powered by water. Describe how you think this was done.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Section summary

  • A conservative force is one for which work depends only on the starting and ending points of a motion, not on the path taken.
  • We can define potential energy ( PE ) size 12{ \( "PE" \) } {} for any conservative force, just as we defined PE g size 12{"PE" rSub { size 8{g} } } {} for the gravitational force.
  • The potential energy of a spring is PE s = 1 2 kx 2 size 12{"PE" rSub { size 8{s} } = { {1} over {2} } ital "kx" rSup { size 8{2} } } {} , where k size 12{k} {} is the spring’s force constant and x size 12{x} {} is the displacement from its undeformed position.
  • Mechanical energy is defined to be KE + PE size 12{"KE "+" PE"} {} for a conservative force.
  • When only conservative forces act on and within a system, the total mechanical energy is constant. In equation form,
KE + PE = constant     or KE i + PE i = KE f + PE f (conservative forces only),

where i and f denote initial and final values. This is known as the conservation of mechanical energy.

Conceptual questions

What is a conservative force?

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

The force exerted by a diving board is conservative, provided the internal friction is negligible. Assuming friction is negligible, describe changes in the potential energy of a diving board as a swimmer dives from it, starting just before the swimmer steps on the board until just after his feet leave it.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Define mechanical energy. What is the relationship of mechanical energy to nonconservative forces? What happens to mechanical energy if only conservative forces act?

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

What is the relationship of potential energy to conservative force?

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Problems&Exercises

A 5 . 00 × 10 5 -kg size 12{5 "." "00" times "10" rSup { size 8{5} } "-kg"} {} subway train is brought to a stop from a speed of 0.500 m/s in 0.400 m by a large spring bumper at the end of its track. What is the force constant k size 12{k} {} of the spring?

7.81 × 10 5 N/m size 12{7 "." "81" times "10" rSup { size 8{5} } " N/m"} {}

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

A pogo stick has a spring with a force constant of 2 . 50 × 10 4 N/m size 12{2 "." "50" times "10" rSup { size 8{4} } " N/m"} {} , which can be compressed 12.0 cm. To what maximum height can a child jump on the stick using only the energy in the spring, if the child and stick have a total mass of 40.0 kg? Explicitly show how you follow the steps in the [link] .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Questions & Answers

how did you get 1640
Noor Reply
If auger is pair are the roots of equation x2+5x-3=0
Peter Reply
Wayne and Dennis like to ride the bike path from Riverside Park to the beach. Dennis’s speed is seven miles per hour faster than Wayne’s speed, so it takes Wayne 2 hours to ride to the beach while it takes Dennis 1.5 hours for the ride. Find the speed of both bikers.
MATTHEW Reply
420
Sharon
from theory: distance [miles] = speed [mph] × time [hours] info #1 speed_Dennis × 1.5 = speed_Wayne × 2 => speed_Wayne = 0.75 × speed_Dennis (i) info #2 speed_Dennis = speed_Wayne + 7 [mph] (ii) use (i) in (ii) => [...] speed_Dennis = 28 mph speed_Wayne = 21 mph
George
Let W be Wayne's speed in miles per hour and D be Dennis's speed in miles per hour. We know that W + 7 = D and W * 2 = D * 1.5. Substituting the first equation into the second: W * 2 = (W + 7) * 1.5 W * 2 = W * 1.5 + 7 * 1.5 0.5 * W = 7 * 1.5 W = 7 * 3 or 21 W is 21 D = W + 7 D = 21 + 7 D = 28
Salma
Devon is 32 32​​ years older than his son, Milan. The sum of both their ages is 54 54​. Using the variables d d​ and m m​ to represent the ages of Devon and Milan, respectively, write a system of equations to describe this situation. Enter the equations below, separated by a comma.
Aaron Reply
find product (-6m+6) ( 3m²+4m-3)
SIMRAN Reply
-42m²+60m-18
Salma
what is the solution
bill
how did you arrive at this answer?
bill
-24m+3+3mÁ^2
Susan
i really want to learn
Amira
I only got 42 the rest i don't know how to solve it. Please i need help from anyone to help me improve my solving mathematics please
Amira
Hw did u arrive to this answer.
Aphelele
hi
Bajemah
-6m(3mA²+4m-3)+6(3mA²+4m-3) =-18m²A²-24m²+18m+18mA²+24m-18 Rearrange like items -18m²A²-24m²+42m+18A²-18
Salma
complete the table of valuesfor each given equatio then graph. 1.x+2y=3
Jovelyn Reply
x=3-2y
Salma
y=x+3/2
Salma
Hi
Enock
given that (7x-5):(2+4x)=8:7find the value of x
Nandala
3x-12y=18
Kelvin
please why isn't that the 0is in ten thousand place
Grace Reply
please why is it that the 0is in the place of ten thousand
Grace
Send the example to me here and let me see
Stephen
A meditation garden is in the shape of a right triangle, with one leg 7 feet. The length of the hypotenuse is one more than the length of one of the other legs. Find the lengths of the hypotenuse and the other leg
Marry Reply
how far
Abubakar
cool u
Enock
state in which quadrant or on which axis each of the following angles given measure. in standard position would lie 89°
Abegail Reply
hello
BenJay
hi
Method
I am eliacin, I need your help in maths
Rood
how can I help
Sir
hmm can we speak here?
Amoon
however, may I ask you some questions about Algarba?
Amoon
hi
Enock
what the last part of the problem mean?
Roger
The Jones family took a 15 mile canoe ride down the Indian River in three hours. After lunch, the return trip back up the river took five hours. Find the rate, in mph, of the canoe in still water and the rate of the current.
cameron Reply
Shakir works at a computer store. His weekly pay will be either a fixed amount, $925, or $500 plus 12% of his total sales. How much should his total sales be for his variable pay option to exceed the fixed amount of $925.
mahnoor Reply
I'm guessing, but it's somewhere around $4335.00 I think
Lewis
12% of sales will need to exceed 925 - 500, or 425 to exceed fixed amount option. What amount of sales does that equal? 425 ÷ (12÷100) = 3541.67. So the answer is sales greater than 3541.67. Check: Sales = 3542 Commission 12%=425.04 Pay = 500 + 425.04 = 925.04. 925.04 > 925.00
Munster
difference between rational and irrational numbers
Arundhati Reply
When traveling to Great Britain, Bethany exchanged $602 US dollars into £515 British pounds. How many pounds did she receive for each US dollar?
Jakoiya Reply
how to reduced echelon form
Solomon Reply
Jazmine trained for 3 hours on Saturday. She ran 8 miles and then biked 24 miles. Her biking speed is 4 mph faster than her running speed. What is her running speed?
Zack Reply
d=r×t the equation would be 8/r+24/r+4=3 worked out
Sheirtina
Got questions? Join the online conversation and get instant answers!
Jobilize.com Reply
Practice Key Terms 5

Get Jobilize Job Search Mobile App in your pocket Now!

Get it on Google Play Download on the App Store Now




Source:  OpenStax, College physics for ap® courses. OpenStax CNX. Nov 04, 2016 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11844/1.14
Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.

Notification Switch

Would you like to follow the 'College physics for ap® courses' conversation and receive update notifications?

Ask