Dr Vince

Grade 10 Physics Detailed Notes

81

CHAPTER 5: WORK AND ENERGY

5.1 WORK
1. Normally, work is the term used to describe the different kinds of activities
that people do

every day.
2. In physics, work specifies the action force and the movement produced by the
force.
3. Work is said to be done when a force produces motion.

Work: Work is defined as the product of the force and the distance moved in the
direction
of the force.
W = Fs
where W = work done, F = the force acting on the particle, and s = the distance
moved in the
direction of the force.
4. Work is a scalar quantity. (Because it does not need a direction.)
5. The SI unit of work is the joule (J).
6. 1 joule of work is done when a force of 1 newton moves an object through a
distance of

1 metre in the direction of the force.

7. When the unit of force is in pound (lb) and

F sin 

F


the distance is in foot (ft), the unit of work

F cos 

is foot-pound (ft-lb).
8. When the unit of force is in dyne and the

distance is in centimetre, the unit of work is erg. (1 J = 107 ergs)

9. When the force is constant, and the direction of the force makes an angle  with
that of

motion, work is defined as follows,

W = (F cos ) s = Fs cos 
where W = work done, F = the force acting on the particle, s = the distance moved
in the
direction of the force,  = the angle between the force and the displacement.
(i) When the direction of the force and the direction of motion are the same
F
s

 = 0
W = Fs cos 
W = Fs

(cos = cos 0 = 1)

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(ii) When the force and the motion are in the opposite directions,
W = Fs cos 

F
s

 = 180

W = -Fs

(cos = cos 180 = -1)

(iii) When the force and the motion are perpendicular to each other,
W = Fs cos 
F

 = 90
s

W=0

(cos = cos 90 = 0)

Chapter 5: Exercises 5.1

E01: A child is pulling a toy car with a 10 N force. The direction of the force
makes an angle of
20° with the horizontal plane. If the car moves 6 m, how much work does the child
do?

Ans: F = 10 N,  = 20, s = 6 m, the work done = W =?

W = Fs cos  = 10  6  cos 20 = 60  0.9397 = 56.38 J
E02: How much work is done when a box is pushed with a force of 20 N through
horizontal distance of 3 m?
Ans: F = 20 N,  = 0, s = 3 m, the work done = W =?
W = Fs cos  = 20  3  cos 0 = 60  1 = 60 J
R49: A woman pushes a child, who is riding a tricycle, with a 200 N force. The
tricycle moves a
distance of 2 m and the work done by the woman is 100 J. Find the angle between the
force
and the displacement.

Ans: F = 200 N, s = 2 m, W = 100 J,

the angle between the force and the displacement = = ?

W = Fs cos 
100 = 200  2  cos 
cos  = 0.2500

 = 75 31
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Grade 10 Physics Detailed Notes

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Q08: A block of wood is placed on a rough horizontal plane. If the frictional force
between
the block and the plane is 6 N, what is the work done by the frictional force if
the
block moves a horizontal distance of 1.5 m?
Ans: The frictional force is always in the opposite direction to the motion of the
body.
frictional force = f = 6 N,  = 180, s = 1.5 m, the work done = Wf =?
Wf = fs cos  = 6  1.5  cos 180 = 9  (-1) = -9 J
T38: A horizontal force of 20 N act on a box to a horizontal distance of 2 m. How
much
work is done on the box by the force?
Ans: F = 20 N,  = 0, s = 2 m, W =?
W = Fs cos  = 20  2  cos 0 = 40  1 = 40 J
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Grade 10 Physics Detailed Notes

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CHAPTER 5: WORK AND ENERGY

5.2 ENERGY
Energy: Energy is defined as the capacity to do work.
10. The SI unit for energy is joule (J).
11. Energy is a scalar quantity. [because it has only magnitude and no direction]
12. Energy possessed by a body is measured by the

amount of work done.

13. Whenever work is done on the body, the energy

gained by the body is equal to the amount of work

done.
14. There are different forms of energy. They are mechanical energy, heat energy,
light

energy, electrical energy, nuclear energy, sound energy, chemical energy, solar
energy,
wind energy, geothermal energy and so on.
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Grade 10 Physics Detailed Notes

85

Mechanical-Energy:
15. The mechanical energy is divided into two types: kinetic energy and potential
energy.

Kinetic Energy (KE): Energy acquired by a body due to its motion is called kinetic
energy.

Let us consider a body of mass m which is at rest (v0 = 0).

Let an external force Fexternal be applied to the body.
Then, according to Newton's second law, the acceleration a of the body must be
a

Fexternal
m

Due to the applied force, the body will be in motion and its velocity increases to
v after
travelling the distance s, and we have
v2 = v02 + 2as
v2 = 2as

(v0 = 0)

F

v 2  2 external  s
 m 

(a 

Fexternal
)
m
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1 2
mv  Fexternal s
2

In the above equation, Fexternal s is the work done on the body, and is the amount
of energy
given to the body.
Therefore,

1 2
mv is the kinetic energy received by the body which is expressed as
2

KE 

1 2
mv
2

16. If the body is moving with an initial velocity v0 and its final velocity is v,
then the change

in kinetic energy is,

ΔKE 

1 2 1
2
mv  mv0  Fexternal s
2
2

17. The change in kinetic energy is equal to the amount of work done.

Potential Energy (PE): The energy stored in a body, due to its position or
configuration is
called the potential energy.

magnetic force

external force pulling the iron nail away

Fig: The iron nail gains magnetic potential energy because work is done against the
magnetic force.

+Q

electric force -q

external force pulling the negative charge away

Fig: The charge (-q) gains electric potential energy because work is done against
the electric force.
Let us consider a body of mass m which is on the ground.
When the body is raised to a height h above the ground, the amount of work done
against
the gravitational force mg is
W = Fs
= mgh

(F = w = mg, s = h)

This amount of work done (mgh) is stored by the body as gravitational potential
energy (PE).
PE = mgh
Gravitational Potential Energy: Gravitational potential energy is the energy which
a body
possesses because of its position relative to the ground.
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Grade 10 Physics Detailed Notes

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18. When an object with mass m near the Earth's surface is raised from a

height h0 to a height h, the change in potential energy is given by

PE = mgh – mgh0
where, g = acceleration due to gravity.
19. The change in potential energy is equal to the amount of work done.

Elastic Potential Energy: The potential energy due to configuration is

called elastic potential energy.

20. Examples of elastic potential energy are the energy stored in the compressed or
stretched

springs, the stretched rubber band or a catapult or the stretched bow.

21. The elastic potential energy in compressed or stretched springs,

PE (elastic) =

1 2
kx ,
2

where k = spring constant, x = extension or compression of the spring.

Conservation of Energy: The total energy of an
isolated system is constant. (OR) Energy cannot be
created or destroyed in any process. The total
energy of the universe is constant.
22. These two statements of conservation of energy

are equivalent. In the second statement, the whole

universe is taken as an isolated system.
23. The law of conservation of energy is a very important rule.
24. Energy cannot be created or destroyed but energy can be changed from one form
to another.
25. For an isolated system the sum of the different forms of energy must be
constant.
26. Physicists believe that the amount of energy in the universe is constant.
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Grade 10 Physics Detailed Notes

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27. Energy can be changed from one form to another but there is never any more or
any less of it.

Let us consider a two-particle system which consists of only a stone and the earth.
Let the mass of the stone be m, and it is dropped from a height h0 above the
ground.
The freely falling stone and the earth are attracting each other with equal forces.
But only the motion of the stone is noticeable and the motion of the earth can be
neglected
since the mass of the earth when compared with the stone is many times larger.
Due to the gravitational force acting on the stone, its acceleration will be g.
Let us assume that the stone has fallen from the height h0 to the height h and its
velocity
changes from v0 to v during the period of time t.
The kinetic energy will change because the velocity of the stone changes.
The relationship between the energy change and the work is

h0, v0

1
1
W  mv 2  mv0 2
2
2
W = Fs
Since the weight of the stone F = w = mg,
and distance s = h0 – h, we have

h0

h, v
h

1 2 1
mv  mv0 2
2
2
1 2 1
mgh0  mgh  mv  mv0 2
Earth
2
2
1 2
1
2
mv  mgh  mv0  mgh0
2
2
final kinetic energy + final potential energy = initial kinetic energy + initial
potential energy
mg h0  h  

final total mechanical energy = initial total mechanical energy

28. The value of this quantity (the total mechanical energy) is conserved
throughout the

distance travelled by the falling stone.

29. It can be easily remembered by writing it as

kinetic energy + potential energy = total mechanical energy = constant

30. If the symbol KE is used for kinetic energy, PE for potential energy and E for
total

mechanical energy, the above relation can be represented

E = KE + PE = constant
Dr Vince

Grade 10 Physics Detailed Notes

89

Chapter 5 Exercises 5.2

E03: A truck with mass 1500 kg is traveling with a speed of 20 m s-1. What is the
kinetic

energy of the truck?

Ans: m = 1.5 × 103 kg, v = 20 m s-1, KE =?

KE = ½ mv2 = ½ × 1.5 × 103 × 202 = 3 × 105 J

E04: A girl lifts her school bag of mass 3 kg from the floor onto her lap through a
height

of 0.5 m. What is the gravitational potential energy gained by the bag?

Ans: m = 3 kg, h = 0.5 m, PE =?

PE = mgh = 3 × 10 × 0.5 = 15 J
E05: How much more gravitational potential energy does a 20 kg box have when it is

moved from a shelf of 0.3 m height to a shelf of 1.8 m height?

Ans: m = 20 kg, h0 = 0.3 m, h = 1.8 m, PE =?
PE = mgh  mgh0 = mg(h  h0) = 20 × 10 × (1.8 - 0.3) = 300 J
E06: The figure shows the heights above the ground of some points on the track of a
roller

coaster. The speed of the carriage at A is 10 m s-1. What is the speed of the
carriage
at B and C? The friction and air resistance are assumed to be negligible.
C
A

10 m s-1

11.2 m

15.4 m

Ans: Let the total mechanical energy at A = EA = PEA + KEA

Let the total mechanical energy at B = EB = PEB + KEB

Let the total mechanical energy at C = EC = PEC + KEC
By the law of conservation of energy,
total mechanical energy at A = total mechanical energy at B
PEA + KEA = PEB + KEB
mghA + ½ mvA2 = mghB + ½ mvB2
10 × 11.2 + ½ × 102 = 0 + ½ × vB2
112 + 50 = ½ × vB2
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Grade 10 Physics Detailed Notes

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vB2 = 324
vB = 18 m s-1
total mechanical energy at B = total mechanical energy at C
PEB + KEB = PEC + KEC
mghB + ½ mvB2 = mghC + ½ mvC2
0 + ½ × 182 = 10 × 15.4 + ½ × vC2
162 = 154 + ½ × vC2
vC2 = 16
vC = 4 m s-1
E07: A parcel of mass 4 kg slides down a smooth curves ramp as shown in figure
(which

is vertical height of 5 m). What is the speed of the parcel when it reaches the
bottom?

5m
vb
Ans: m = 4 kg, let the speed of the parcel when it reaches the bottom = vb =?

Let the total mechanical energy at the top = Et = PEt + KEt

Let the total mechanical energy at the bottom = Eb = PEb + KEb
By the law of conservation of energy,
total mechanical energy at the top = total mechanical energy at the bottom
Et = Eb
PEt + KEt = PEb + KEb
mght + ½ mvt2 = mghb + ½ mvb2
10 × 5 + 0 = 0 + ½ × vB2
50 = ½ × vb2
vb2 = 100
vB = 10 m s-1
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Grade 10 Physics Detailed Notes

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Q01: A car with a mass of 800 kg travels at a speed of 20 m s-1. What is its
kinetic energy?
Ans: m = 800 kg, v = 20 m s-1, KE =?

KE = ½ mv2 = ½ × 800 × 202 = 1.6 × 105 J

Q02: What is the change in potential energy of a flower pot of mass 2 kg that falls
from a

balcony? The height of the balcony from the ground is 20 m. What happen to this
energy?
Ans: m = 2 kg, h0 = 20 m, h = 0 m, PE =?
PE = mgh  mgh0 = mg(h  h0) = 2 × 10 × (0 - 20) = -400 J

The minus sign indicates that the potential energy of the flower pot decreases.
This decrease in potential energy will change into kinetic energy.
Q03: What is the change in potential energy if you move a brick of 1.5 kg mass
through a

distance of 0.4 m on a horizontal table?

Ans: m = 1.5 kg, h0 = 0.4 m, h = 0.4 m, PE =?
PE = mgh  mgh0

= mg(h  h0) = 1.5 × 10 × (0.4 – 0.4) = 0

Q04: A ball is thrown vertically upwards with a velocity of 10 m s-1. What is the
maximum

height it can reach?

Ans: The initial velocity = v0 = 10 m s-1

let the maximum height it can reach = hmax =?

Let the total initial mechanical energy at the bottom = PEi + KEi
Let the total mechanical energy at the maximum height = PEmax + KEmax
By the law of conservation of energy,
total initial mechanical energy = total mechanical energy at the height
PEi + KEi = PEmax + KEmax
mghi + ½ mvi2 = mghmax + ½ m(vmax)2
0 + ½ × 102 = 10 × hmax + 0
hmax = 5 m
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Q05: Calculate the kinetic energy of (i) 1 kg mass of a toy car moving at 2 m s-1
(ii) 2 g
(0.002 kg) bullet travelling at 400 m s-1 (iii) 500 kg car travelling at 72 km h-1.
Ans: (i) m = 1 kg, v = 2 m s-1, KE =?
KE = ½ mv2 = ½ × 1 × 22 = 2 J
(ii) m = 0.002 kg, v = 400 m s-1, KE =?
KE = ½ mv2 = ½ × 0.002 × 4002 = 160 J
(iii) m = 500 kg, v = 72 km h-1 = 72 × (5/18) m s-1 = 20 m s-1, KE =?
KE = ½ mv2 = ½ × 500 × 202 = 105 J
Q06: (a) What is the velocity of an object of mass 1 kg which has 200 J of kinetic
energy?
Ans: m = 1 kg, KE = 200 J, v =?
KE = ½ mv2
200 = ½ × 1 × v2
v2 = 400
v = 20 m s-1
Q06: (b) Find the potential energy of a 5 kg mass when it is (i) 3 m, (ii) 6 m,
above the ground.
Ans: (i) m = 5 kg, h = 3 m, PE =?
PE = mgh = 5 × 10 × 3 = 150 J
(ii) m = 5 kg, h = 6 m, PE =?
PE = mgh = 5 × 10 × 6 = 300 J
Q07: A 100 g steel ball falls from a height of 1.8 m onto a metal plate and
rebounds to a
height of 1.25 m. Find (i) the potential energy of the ball before the fall, (ii)
its kinetic
energy as it hits the plate, (iii) its velocity on hitting the plate, (iv) the
kinetic energy
as it leaves the plate on the rebound, and (v) its velocity of rebound.
Ans: m = 100 g = 0.1 kg, hA = 1.8 m, hD = 1.25 m,
(i) the potential energy at 1.8 m height = PEA
PEA = PE0 = mghA = 0.1 × 10 × 1.8 = 1.8 J
(ii) by the law of conservation of energy

A
D
B

its kinetic energy as it hits the plate = the potential energy at 1.8 m height
its kinetic energy as it hits the plate = KEB = 1.8 J

C
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(iii) KEB = ½ mvB2

1.8 = ½ × 0.1 × vB2
vB2 = 36
vB = 6 m s-1
(iv) the potential energy at 1.25 m = PED
PED = mghD = 0.1 × 10 × 1.25 = 1.25 J
By the law of conservation of energy
The kinetic energy of the ball on the rebound = KEC = PED = 1.25 J
(v) KEC = ½ mvC2
1.25 = ½ × 0.1 × vC2
vC2 = 25
vC = 5 m s-1
Q09: A student lifts a box weighing 50 N through a vertical height 1.1 m, and then
walks
horizontally for 2.0 m at constant speed while holding the box. What is the work
done by the student on the box?
Ans: w = mg = 50 N, h = 1.1 m, s = 2 m, W =?
force

Let the work done to lift the box to 1.1 m height = W1

Let the work done in walking 2.0 m = W2
W1 = PE = mgh = wh = 50 × 1.1 = 55 J
W2 = F s cos  = Fs cos 90 = 0

1.1 m

2m
displacement

W = W1 + W2 = 55 + 0 = 55 J
Q10: A weightlifter raises an object weighing 500 N through a distance of 2 m. How
much
work is done by the weightlifter?
Ans: w = mg = 500 N, h = 2 m, W =?
work done = change in potential energy
W = PE = mgh = wh = 500 × 2 = 103 J
Q11: A man lifts a brick of mass 5 kg from the floor to a shelf 3 m high. How much
work
is done by the man?
Ans: m = 5 kg, h = 3 m, W =?
work done = change in potential energy
W = PE = mgh = 5 × 10 × 3 = 150 J
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Q12: A tennis ball which is thrown vertically upwards reaches the height of 50 m.
Find

the initial velocity of the ball. (Neglect air resistance.)

Ans: The initial velocity = v0 = ?

let the maximum height it reaches = h = 50 m

Let the total initial mechanical energy = PEi + KEi
Let the total mechanical energy at the 50 m high = PE50 m + KE50 m
By the law of conservation of energy,
total initial mechanical energy = total mechanical energy at 50 m high
PEi + KEi = PE50 m + KE50 m
mghi + ½ mvi2 = mgh + ½ m(v)2
0 + ½ × vi2 = 10 × 50 + 0
vi2 = 1000
vi = 31.62 m s-1
R54: (1) Give some examples of electrical energy transforming into light energy.
Ans: Electric light bulb, fluorescence tube
R54: (2) Why are the units of energy and work the same?
Ans: The units of energy and work are the same because the energy obtained by a
body is

actually the amount of work done on it.

R54: (3) Write down the law of conservation of energy. Identify this law as being a

fundamental law or not, and explain your answer.

Ans: Conservation of Energy: The total energy of an isolated system is constant.
(OR)

Energy cannot be created or destroyed in any process. The total energy of the
universe is constant.
It is a fundamental law. Because any isolated system obeys this law.
T39: (1) Give an example of a situation in which there is a force and a
displacement, but

there is no work done by the force. Explain why it does no work.

Ans: When force and displacement are perpendicular to each other, the force does no

work.
W=Fs cos = Fs cos 90° = 0
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T39: (2) Is the work done on an object when you lift it up to a table?
Ans: Yes. There is work against the gravitational force.
T39: (3) How docs a kinetic energy of a moving body depend on the velocity?
Ans: Kinetic energy of a moving body is directly proportional to the square of its
velocity.

KE = ½ mv2
KE = kinetic energy of the body, m = mass of the body, v = velocity of the body