CHAPTER-14

KINETICS OF A PARTICLE:
Work & Energy
 KINETICS OF A PARTICLE:
WORK & ENERGY

• Work of a Force
• Work of a Variable Force
• Work of a Constant Force
• Work of Weight
• Work of a Spring Force
• Principle of Work & Energy
• Power & Efficiency
• Conservative Forces & Potential Energy
• Conservation of Energy
 WORK OF A FORCE

• A force F does work on a particle when the particle undergoes a displacement in the
direction of the force.
• For example, consider the force F acting on a particle, which has a location on the path s
that is specified by the position vector r. If the particle moves along the path to a new
position r’, the displacement is:
dr = r’ – r
• Magnitude of dr is represented by ds, the differential segment along the path
• If the angles between the tails of dr and F is θ, then the work dU which is done by F is a
scalar quantity, defined by:
dU = F ds Cosθ
• By definition of the dot product, the above equation may also be written as:
dU = F. dr
 WORK OF A FORCE

• Work as expressed by this equation may be interpreted in one of the following

two ways:
• Either as the product of F and the component of displacement in the direction
of the force i.e. ds Cosθ
• Or the product of ds and the component of force in the direction of
displacement i.e. F Cosθ
• If 0<θ<90, then the force component and the displacement have the same
sense so that the work is positive, whereas if 90<θ<180, then these vectors
have an opposite sense and therefore the work is negative.
• Also, dU = 0 if the force is perpendicular to displacement since Cos 90 = 0, or
if the force is applied at a fixed point, in which case the displacement is zero.
• Unit of work is Joule (N-m)
 WORK OF A VARIABLE FORCE

• If the particle undergoes a finite displacement along its path from r1 to r2 or s1 to

s2, the work is determined by integration
• If F is expressed as the function of position i.e. F = F(s), then

r2 s2
U1-2 = r1
F .dr   FCos .ds
s1

• If the working component of the force, F Cosθ, is plotted versus s, the integral in
this equation can be interpreted as the area under the curve from position s1 to
position s2.
 WORK OF A CONSTANT FORCE

• If the force Fc has a constant magnitude and acts at a constant angle θ from its
straight line path, then the component of Fc in the direction of displacement is
Fc Cosθ.
• The work done by Fc when the particle is displaced from s1 to s2 is determined
by:
s2
U1-2 = Fc Cosθ
s1
ds
U1-2 = Fc Cosθ (s2 – s1)

• Here the work of Fc represents the area under the rectangle.

 WORK OF A WEIGHT

• Consider a particle which moves up along the path s from position s1 to s2

• At an intermediate point, the displacement is: dr = dx i + dy j + dz k
• Since W = -W j
r2    

• Therefore, U1-2 =  F .dr   (W

r1
j ).(dx i  dy j  dz k )
y2

=   W .dy  W ( y
y1
2  y1 )  W .y

• Thus, the work done is equal to the magnitude of the particle’s weight times its
vertical displacement.
• Since in this case W is downward and Δy is upward, therefore the work is
negative, however, if the particle is displaced downward (-Δy), the work of the
weight will then be positive
 WORK OF A SPRING FORCE

• If an elastic spring is elongated a distance ds, then the work done by the force that acts
on the attached particle is dU = -Fsds = -ks ds.
• The work is negative since Fs acts in the opposite sense to ds. If the particle displaces
from sl to s2, the work of Fs is then

• This equation represents the trapezoidal area under the line Fs = ks

EXAMPLE 14-1
The 10 kg block shown rests on the smooth
incline. If the spring is originally stretched 0.5m,
determine the total work done by all the forces
acting on the block when a horizontal force P =
400N pushes the block up the plane s = 2 m.
 PRINCIPLE OF WORK & ENERGY

• Consider a particle which is located on the path defined relative to an inertial

coordinate system
• If m is the mass of the particle and is subjected to a system of external forces
represented by the resultant FR = ∑ F, then the equation of motion for the particle in
the tangential direction is ∑ Ft=mat . Applying the kinematic equation at=v(dv/ds) and
integrating both sides, assuming initially that the particle has a position s=s1 and a
speed v=v1, and later at s=s2, v=v2, then:
 PRINCIPLE OF WORK & ENERGY

• Since from the figure, ∑ Ft = ∑ F Cos θ, and since work is defined as:

• Therefore, the above equation can be written as:

• This equation represents the principle of work and energy

 PRINCIPLE OF WORK & ENERGY
1 2 1 2
U 1 2  mv2  mv1
2 2
• The term on the left is the sum of the work done by all the forces acting on the
particle as the particle moves from point 1 to point 2
• The two terms on the right side, which are of the form T = (1/2) mv2 defines the
particle’s final and initial kinetic energy respectively.
• Above equation can also be written as:

T1 + ∑U1-2 = T2

which states that the particle’s initial kinetic energy plus the work done by all the
forces acting on the particle as it moves from its initial to its final position is
equal to the particle’s final kinetic energy.

• For a system of particles, the principle of work and energy can be stated as:

∑ T1 + ∑U1-2 = ∑ T2

which states that the system’s initial kinetic energy plus the work done by all the
forces acting on the system is equal to the system’s final kinetic energy.
 WORK OF FRICTION CAUSED BY SLIDING
• Consider a block which is
translating a distance s over a rough
surface as shown in the figure
• If the applied force P just balances
the resultant frictional force μkN,
then due to equilibrium a constant
velocity v is maintained
• Applying the equation of work and
energy:
1 2 1 2
mv  P.s   k N .s  mv
2 2

• This equation will be satisfied when

P = μk N
 POWER
• Power is defined as the amount of work performed per unit of
time
• So the power generated by a machine or engine that performs
an amount of work dU within time interval dt is:
dU F .dr
P
dt

dt
or P  F.V
• Power is a scalar quantity.
• Here V represents the velocity of the point which is acted
upon by the force F
• Unit of power in SI is Watt (W) where 1 W = 1 J/s = 1 N-m/s
• Unit of power in FPS system is horsepower

1 hp = 550 ft-lb/s = 746 W

 EFFICIENCY
• The mechanical efficiency of a machine is defined as the ratio
of the output power produced by the machine to the input
power supplied to the machine

• Therefore, ε = Power Output / Power Input

• Or ε = Energy Output / Energy Input

PRINCIPLE OF WORK & ENERGY,
POWER & EFFICIENCY
Examples:
14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4,14.5,
14.6, 14.7, 14.8
Fundamental Problems:
F14.1, F14.3, F14.5, F14.7, F14.10
Practice Problems:
14.3, 14.9, 14.13, 14.18, 14.28,
14.31, 14.33, 14.34, 14.46, 14.67
EXAMPLE 14-2
The 3500 lb automobile is traveling down the 10º
inclined road at a speed of 20 ft/s. If the driver
jams on the brakes, causing his wheels to lock,
determine how far s his tires skid on the road.
The coefficient of kinetic friction between the
wheels and the road is 0.5
EXAMPLE 14-4
The platform P has negligible mass and is tied down so that
the 0.4m long cords keep a 1m long spring compressed 0.6m
when nothing is on the platform. If a 2kg block is placed on
the platform and released from rest after the platform is
pushed down 0.1m, determine the maximum height h the
block rises in air, measured from ground.
EXAMPLE 14-8
The motor M of the hoist
shown in Fig. below lifts
the 75-lb crate C so that
the acceleration of point
P is 4 ft/s2. Determine
the power that must be
supplied to the motor at
the instant P has a
velocity of 2 ft/s. Neglect
the mass of the pulley
and cable and take ε =
0.85
PROBLEM 14-18
The collar has a mass of 20kg and rests on the
smooth rod. Two springs are attached to it as
shown. Each spring has an uncompressed length
of 1m. If the collar is displaced s=0.5m and
released from rest, determine its velocity at the
instant it returns to the point s = 0.
PROBLEM 14-34
If the coefficient of kinetic friction between the 100
kg crate and the plane is µk = 0.25, determine the
speed of the crate at the instant the compression of
the spring is x = 1.5 m. Initially the spring is
unstretched and the crate is at rest.
 CONSERTAVIVE FORCES & POTENTIAL ENERGY
Conservative Force

• Conservative force is the force acting on the particle that

depends only on the net change in the particle’s position and
is independent of the particle’s velocity and acceleration.

• Moreover, the work done by such force in moving the

particle from one point to another is independent of the path
followed by the particle.

• The weight of the particle and the force of an elastic spring

are two examples of conservative forces
 CONSERTAVIVE FORCES & POTENTIAL ENERGY
Weight
• Work done by weight of a particle is independent of the path,
rather, it depends only on the particle’s vertical displacement.
• i.e. U = -W(Δy)
Elastic Spring
• Work done by a spring force acting on a particle is
independent of the path, but depends only on the extension or
compression ‘s’ of the spring:
i.e. U1-2 = - ( 1 ks22  1 ks12)
Friction 2 2
• In contrast to a conservative force, the force of friction
exerted on a moving object by a fixed surface, is a
conservative force because the work done by the frictional
force depends on the path_ the longer the path, the greater the
work.
 CONSERTAVIVE FORCES & POTENTIAL ENERGY

Potential Energy
• Energy may be defined as the capacity for doing work.
• When energy comes from the motion of the particle, it is
referred to as kinetic energy
• When energy comes from the position of the particle,
measured from a fixed datum or reference plane, it s called
potential energy
• Thus potential energy is a measure of the amount of work a
conservative force will do when it moves from a given
position to the datum.
 CONSERTAVIVE FORCES & POTENTIAL ENERGY
Gravitational Potential Energy
• If a particle is located a distance y
above the arbitrary selected datum,
the particle’s weight W has positive
gravitational potential energy, Vg,
since W has the capacity of doing
positive work when the particle is
moved back down to the datum.
• Similarly, if the particle is located a
distance y below the datum, Vg is
negative since the weight does
negative work when the particle is
moved back up to the datum.
• At datum, Vg = 0
• In general if y is positive upward, the
gravitational potential energy of the
particle of weight W is:
Vg = Wy
 CONSERTAVIVE FORCES & POTENTIAL ENERGY
Elastic Potential Energy
• When an elastic spring is elongated
or compressed a distance s from its
unstretched position, the elastic
potential energy Ve due to the
spring’s configuration is:

Ve = +(1/2)ks2

• Here Ve is always positive, since in

the deformed position the force of the
spring has the capacity for always
doing positive work on the particle
when the spring is returned to its
unstretched position
 POTENTIAL FUNCTION

• In general if the particle is subjected to both gravitational

and elastic forces, the particle’s potential energy can be
expressed as a potential function, which is the algebraic
sum:

V = Vg + Ve ----------------------(1)

• The work done by a conservative force in moving the

particle from point (x1, y1, z1) to point (x2, y2, z2) is
measured by the difference of this function. i.e.

U1-2 = V1 – V2 -------------------(2)
 POTENTIAL FUNCTION

• For example, the potential function

for a particle of weight W
suspended from a spring can be
expressed in terms of its position s,
measured from a datum located at
the unstretched length of the spring,
as
V = Vg + Ve = -Ws + (1/2)ks2
• If the particle moves from s1 to a
lower position s2, then applying eq
(2) it can be seen that the work of
W and Fs is:
U1-2 = V1 – V2
= [-Ws1 + (1/2)ks12] – [-Ws2 + (1/2)ks22]
= W(s2 – s1) – [(1/2)ks22 - (1/2)ks12]
 CONSERVATION OF ENERGY

• When a particle is acted upon by a system of both conservative and

non-conservative forces, the portion of work done by conservative
forces can be written in terms of the difference in their potential
energies using equation (2) i.e. (∑U1-2 )cons = V1 – V2
• So the principle of work and energy can be written as:
T1 + V1 + (∑U1-2 )noncoms = T2 + V2
• Here (∑U1-2 )noncoms represents the work of non-conservative forces
acting on the particle.
• If only conservative forces are applied to the body, this term is zero
and then we have:
T1 + V1 = T2 + V2
• This equation is referred to as the conservation of mechanical energy
or simply the conservation of energy.
• It states that during the motion the sum of the particle’s kinetic and
potential energies remains constant.
• For this to occur, kinetic energy must be transformed into potential
energy, and vice versa.
 CONSERVATION OF ENERGY

System of Particles

• If a system of particles is subjected only to conservative forces, then

the conservation of energy equation may be written as:

ΣT1 + Σ V1 = Σ T2 + Σ V2

• It states that during the motion the sum of the system’s kinetic and
potential energies remains constant.

• It is important to remember that only problems involving conservative

forces (weights and springs) may be solved by using the conservation
of energy principle.
Work & Energy: Conservation of Energy

Examples:
14.9, 14.10, 14.11
Fundamental Problems:
F14.13, F14.15
Practice Problems:
14.79, 14.85, 14.86, 14.90, 14.96
EXAMPLE 14-9
The gantry structure shown is used to test the response of an airplane
during a crash. As shown, the plane having a mass of 8Mg is hoisted
back until θ = 60°, and then the pull back cable AC is released when
the plane is at rest. Determine the speed of the plane just before
crashing into the ground, θ = 15°. Also what is the maximum tension
developed in the supporting cable during the motion. Neglect the
effect of lift caused by the wings during the motion and the size of the
airplane.
EXAMPLE 14-10

The Ram R shown has a mass of

100kg and is released from rest
0.75m from the top of a spring
A, that has a stiffness kA=12
kN/m. If a second spring B,
having a stiffness of kB=15 kN/m,
is nested in A, determine the
maximum displacement of A
needed to stop the downward
motion of the ram. The
unstretched length of each
spring is indicated in the figure.
Neglect the mass of the springs.
EXAMPLE 14-11
A smooth 2kg collar C fits loosely on the vertical shaft. If the spring is
unstretched when the collar is in the position A, determine the speed
at which the collar is moving when y=1m, if:
a) it is released from rest at A, and
b) it is released at A with an upward velocity of 2 m/s
PROBLEM 14-85
The cylinder has a mass of 20kg and is released from rest when h=0.
Determine its speed when h=3m. The springs each have an
unstretched length of 2m.
PROBLEM 14-86
Tarzan has a mass of 100kg and from rest swings from the cliff by
rigidly holding on to the tree vine, which is 10m measured from the
supporting limb A to his center of mass. Determine his speed just
after the vine strikes the lower limb at B. Also, with what force must
he hold on to the vine just before and just after the vine contacts the
limb at B?
PROBLEM 14-96
The 65-kg skier starts from rest at A. Determine his speed at B
and the distance s where he lands at C. Neglect friction.