PHY11 Lesson 2

Potential Energy and

Conservation of Energy

Potential Energy U
potential energy (U) energy associated with the
position or arrangement of a system of one or more
objects.
gravitational potential energy (U) energy
associated with the state of separation between two
objects.

elastic potential energy (U) energy associated

with the state of compression or extension of an
elastic object.

Work and Potential Energy

Consider an object of mass m thrown upward with an initial
velocity vo and initial kinetic energy Ko = mvo2.

v<vo
K< Ko

As the object rises to a height d

the work done by the gravitational
force Fg is

Wg mgd
As the object rises, its kinetic
energy decreases.

vo

Fg

The decrease in kinetic energy of

the object is transferred to its
gravitational potential energy.

Ko

U W
Fg

Work and Potential Energy (Elastic)

Consider a block of mass m attached to an ideal spring. The
block is sent moving to the right.
As the block moves to the right, the
work done on it by the spring force is
negative.
The kinetic energy of the block
decreases.

m
x =0

Fs

U W

x =0

Fs
x =0

The decrease in kinetic energy of the

block becomes the increase in the elastic
potential energy of the spring.

As the block moves to the left, the

work done on it by the spring force is
positive and U is negative..

U W

Conservative Forces
conservative force a force that, when it acts on an
object/system, does not change the total energy (K+U) of the
object/system.

K mv 0
1
2

U mgy

Consider an object that is

thrown vertically upward.

Wg K
Fg

K o 12 mvo

U o mgyo 0
Fg

Wg U

K K o (U U o )
Conservation of
Mechanical Energy

Ko U o K U

Work Done by a Conservative Force in a Closed Path

Consider an object thrown vertically upward.
On its way upward, the
work done by gravity is

K 12 mv 2 0

Fg

K o 12 mvo

U mgy

U o mgyo 0
Fg

Wg U

Wg K

Work Done by a Conservative Force in a Closed Path

Consider an object thrown vertically upward.
On its way upward, the
work done by gravity is

K o mvo 0
U o mgyo
1
2

W g U

Wg K

On its way back down, the

work done by gravity is

Fg

Wg U

Wg K

The net work done by

gravity is

Wg W g 0

U mgy 0
K 12 mv 2

Fg

The net work done by a conservative

force on a particle moving around any
closed path is zero.

Potential Energy
x

W Fx dx

Recall the work done by a general force is

xo

W U
The change in potential energy of an object is

U Fx dx
xo

Gravitational Potential Energy

Consider an object moving vertically (along y-axis).
change in it potential energy is
yf

yi

yo

The

U ( mg ) dy mg dy mg ( y yo )

U U U o mg ( y yo )

U ( y ) mgy

Elastic Potential Energy

Consider a block-spring system that is displaced from the
equilibrium position.
The work done by the spring force is
x

xo

xo

U ( kx) dx k xdx

1 2 1 2
U kx kxo
2
2

1 2
U ( x) kx
2

W U

Work Done on a System by an External Force

Work is the energy transferred to or from a system by
means of an external force acting on that system.

Work Done (No Friction)

Consider an external force F applied to a body of mass m
which is on a horizontal and frictionless plane.
vo
m

v
F

m
d

The work done by the external force is

W K U

Work Done (With Friction)

Consider an external force F applied to a body of mass m
which is on a horizontal and frictionless plane.
vo
f

v
F

d
The work done on the system is

W W f K U

Fd ( fd ) K U

W K U W f

Sample Problem 1

ANS: (a)0, 0.98 J (b) 2.8 m/s (c) constant: weight

not constant: N and f (d) 5.1 N

Sample Problem 2

ANS: 1.72 m

Sample Problem 3

ANS: (a) 3.11 m/s

(b) 0.821 m

Sample Problem 4

ANS: 42 m/s

Sample Problem 4

ANS: 42 m/s