6 Work, energy and power Exam practice questions

Pages 86–89 Exam practice questions

1 Work done by each force = Fs cos θ
= 100 N × 100 m × cos 60 = 5000 J
Total work done by both forces = 10 000 J – the answer is C. [1]
2 At the lowest point the jumper is stationary and the kinetic energy must be zero. The elastic cord
will have elastic strain energy stored within it, but some of the initial gravitational potential
energy will have been converted to internal energy as the molecules are displaced within the
cord – the answer is B. [1]

work done mgh 1000 kg × 9.8 m s −2 × 2.4 m

3 Power = = = = 2940 W ≈ 3000 W – the
time t 8.0 s
answer is C. [1]
4 Useful power output = 75% of 120 W = 90 W
P 90 W
P = F × v so F= = = 45 N – the answer is A. [1]
v 2.0 m s −1
5 Work is the product of the force and the distance moved in the direction of the applied force [1].
Work is measured in joules (J). [1]
[Total 2 Marks]

6 a) Potential energy is the ability of a body to do work by virtue of its position or state. [1]
b) The gravitational potential energy (GPE) of a body is the ability of the body to do work by
virtue of its position in a gravitational field. [1]
An object of mass m raised through a height Δh will gain GPE of mgΔh. However, the elastic
potential energy (EPE) of an object is the energy stored in the object when it is stretched or
compressed. For a cord extended Δx by an average force F ave , the gain in EPE will be F ave Δx. [1]
[Total 3 Marks]

7 a) Kinetic energy (KE) is the energy of a body by virtue of its motion. The KE of a body of mass m
2
moving with a velocity v is ½mv . [1]
−1 2
b) KE of the golf ball = ½ (0.05 kg)(20 m s ) = 10 J [2]
[Total 3 Marks]

useful work output

8 Efficiency = × 100%
work input

[Total 1 Marks]

9 a) W = FΔx= 60 N × 100 m = 6000 J [2]

b) W = FΔxcos θ = 80 N × 50 cos 30 m [1] = 3500 J (to 2 s.f.) [1]
[Total 4 Marks]

© Graham George & Mike Benn 2015

6 Work, energy and power Exam practice questions

10 Draw the diagram. [3]

After drawing the diagram, measure the vertical height, h, of the trolley [1] above the base of the
ramp. Record the time, t, for the interrupter card to cut through the light beam [1] and find the
velocity:
length of card
v= [1]
t
Repeat for a range of values of h. [1]
2
ΔGPE = mgh and ΔKE = ½mv [1]
2
Plot a graph of v against h. The percentage of GPE converted to KE is found
2g
by × 100%. [1]
gradient
[Total 9 Marks]

11 a) Power is the rate of doing work. [1] It is measured in watts (W). [1]
b) Work done = force × distance = (70 × 9.8) N × (20 × 0.25) m = 3430 J [1]
work done 3430 J
Power = = = 690 W [1]
time 5.0 s
c) The student will do more work moving limbs, contracting muscles, pumping blood etc. [1]
[Total 5 Marks]
2 2 −1
12 a) Using v = u + 2as where v = 0; u = 5.0 m s ; s = 20 m [1]
−1 2 −2 −2
0 = (5.0 m s ) + 2a(20 m) ⇒ a = −0.625 m s ≈ −0.6 m s [1]
−2
b) i) F = ma = (100 kg) × (0.6 m s ) = 60 N [1]
−1
ii) P = Fv= (60 N) × (5.0 m s ) = 300 W [1]
[Total 4 Marks]

13 a) ΔGPE = ΔKE
2 −2 −1
mgΔh = ½mv → v = √(2gΔh) → v = √(2 × 9.8 m s × 18 m) [1] = 19 m s [1]
b) Work done on car = gain in KE [1]
3 2 −1
200 × 10 N × 2.0 m = ½ × 1760 kg × v [1] → v = 21 m s [1]
c) ΔKE = ΔGPE
2 2 2 2 −2 −1
½m (u – v ) = mgΔh → 21 – v = 2 × 9.8 m s × 18 m [1] → v = 10 m s [1]
d) Initial KE = work done against resistive forces + ΔGPE
3 −2
400 × 10 J = 300 N × 35 m + m × 9.8 m s × 18 m [1]
Total mass, m = 2200 kg [1]
Maximum mass of passengers = 1400 kg [1]

© Graham George & Mike Benn 2015

6 Work, energy and power Exam practice questions

e) The equation only applies to rectilinear motion. [1] The quantities u, v, a and s are vectors.
The rollercoaster car is continuously changing direction as it climbs the slope, but the
acceleration, g, is always acting downwards. [1] KE and GPE are scalar quantities. [1]
The application of the equation gives the correct magnitude of the initial speed but is an error
of physics and would not gain credit in an examination.
[Total 13 Marks]
−27
14 a) Nitrogen molecules have a mass of 28 u. The unified mass unit, u, is 1.66 × 10 kg and will
be defined later in the course.
−27 −1 2 −21
KE = ½ × 28 × 1.66 × 10 kg × (500 m s ) (1) = 5.8 × 10 J [1]
−27 −2 −24
ΔGPE = 28 × 1.66 × 10 kg × 9.8 m s × 2.5 m (1) = 1.1 × 10 J [1]
b) There is no change in g over the height of the room and the variations of gravitational
potential energy are negligible compared with the kinetic energy of particles at this
temperature. [2]
[Total 4 Marks]

Stretch and challenge

15 a) ΔGPE = ΔKE
2
m 1 g Δh – m 2 g Δh =½ (m 1 + m 2 ) v [1]
m 1 = mass of top car + passengers + mass of water (m w )
m 2 = mass of bottom car + passengers
Δh = change in vertical height = 5.0 sin θ = 2.8 m
−2
{(3500 kg + 400 kg + m w ) – (3500 kg + 700 kg)} × 9.8 m s × 2.8 m
−1 2
= ½ (7000 kg + 1100 kg + m w ) × (0.70 m s ) [1]
m w = 380 kg [1]
The volume of added water will be 380 litres. [1]
b) In practice some work will be done against resistive forces and the mass of the cable (0.50
tonnes!) has been ignored. [1]
c) At constant speed the braking forces must equal the component of the resultant weight along
the track. [1]
−2
F = (m 1 – m 2 ) g sin θ = 200 kg × 9.8 m s × 30/53 (1) = 1100 N [1]
W = F × x = 1100 N × 43 m = 48 kJ [1]
d) Stage 2 loss of GPE of cars = gain in KE (plus some work done against resistive forces that
leads to an increase in internal energy in the moving parts) [1]
Stage 3, change in GPE of the cars (= work done against the braking forces) [1] = gain in elastic
PE in fluid and compressed gas + gain in internal energy (thermal energy) in the brakes [1]

© Graham George & Mike Benn 2015

6 Work, energy and power Exam practice questions

Stage 4 loss of GPE + loss of KE [1] = gain in internal energy in the brakes + EPE in the
fluid/gas [1]
After the journey, some of the EPE of the gas is used to pump water to the lake, so increasing
its GPE. [1]
(Students are only required to give a maximum of 4 of these.)
[Total 12 Marks]

© Graham George & Mike Benn 2015