FINALS COVERAGE

WORK AND ENERGY

The term work usually connotes activities that one does. This goes hand in hand with the term energy which connotes
ones strength. Power, on the other hand, is the combination of work and time. This module is about work, power, and
energy.
Familiarity with the following terms will help you get the most from this module:
TERMS DEFINITION
1. WORK The product of a constant force magnitude and the magnitude of
the displacement
2. JOULE The unit of work which is the special name for Newton meter
3. ENERGY The capacity to do work
4. POTENTIAL ENERGY The energy due to position
5. KINETIC ENERGY The energy due to motion
6. POWER The rate of doing work
7. WATTS The unit of power which is the special name for Joule per second

In everyday usage, work is done whenever force is applied. You do work if you exert effort and earn for such effort.
In science, however, work has a different meaning. Work is done on a body when force is applied causing that body to
move.
When you lifted the book, force was applied upward. The force you applied has a magnitude equal to the magnitude
of the book’s weight. The book also moved upward. In this case, work was done in scientific sense. When you pushed a
table causing it to move along the floor, work was also done. The table moved along the same direction as the force applied.
In science, you do work by exerting force on the object through a distance. The force you exert on the object moves the
object from one place to another, that is, the object undergoes a displacement.

Work done, W , on a body by a constant force, F , acting on the body is defined as the product of the magnitude of the force
and the distance through which the object moves, or in equation,
W =Fd
Where:
W = work done in joules (J )
F = force applied in Newton (N )
d = displacement or distance in meters (m)
Hence, 1 Newton−meter =1 Joules
Joule is the unit of work in the MKS system. The unit Joule was named after the name of the scientist James Prescott Joule,
a pioneer in the study of energy.

From the equation, the greater the applied force, the greater is the amount of work done. Likewise, the greater the
displacement, the greater is the work done on it.
Note: When Force is not in Newton, remember that F=mass × acceleration. Mass should be in kg. Acceleration:
2
9.8 m/ s

Page 1 of 9
What is the unit of work if F is in dynes and d is in cm? That’s right! The unit of work is dyne-cm, which is given a special
name of erg. So, 1 erg = 1 dyne-cm

Now consider the situation that follows. A bag is pulled as shown in Fig. 1.2. Is work done on the bag?

A force F acts along the handle of the bag and makes an angle θ with the surface of the table. A component of this force,
Fcosθ , moves the bag along the surface of the table.The work done on the bag is the product of this component of the
force and the magnitude of the displacement, d , along which the bag moves.
W =F × cosθ ×d or W =Fcosθd
where θ is the angle (1800 or less) between the direction of F and the direction of d . The F and d are the magnitudes of the
force and displacement vectors, respectively. They are both scalar quantities. Also, we assume that the force and θ are
constant while the object is having a displacement.
Let's see if you understand the scientific meaning of work. Fill in the table by writing W if work is done and N if no work is
done on the object.
ACTIVITY Work, W or No Work N
1. Pushing a jeepney a certain distance
2. Pushing a wall
3. Holding a book
4. Lifting a suitcase
5. Taking a load upstairs

Remember this: Work is done only when force applied on the object causes the object to have a displacement in the same
direction as the direction of the force, or the component of a force.
Sample Problems:
1. How much work is done when a force of 500 N is used to slide a heavy cabinet 1 meter across the floor?
Solution: a) Write the given quantities.
The given quantities are:
F=500 N
d=1m
W =Fd
W =(500 N )(1 m)
W =500 J

2. How much work is done in lifting a 2 kg book onto a shelf 1.5 m high?
Solution: a) Write the given quantities.
The given quantities are:
m=2 kg

Page 2 of 9
 d=1.5 m
Note: F=mass × acceleration
2
F=2 kg × 9.81m/ s
F=19.62 N

Solution: W =Fd
W =(19.62 N )(1.5 m)
W =29.43 J
3. A cart load of sand is pulled 5 m across the ground as shown below. The tension in the rope is 300 N and is
directed 30 degrees above the horizontal. How much work is done in pulling the load?

Solution: a) Write the given quantities.

The given quantities are:
F=300 N
d=5 m
θ=30 degree
W =Fcosθd
W =( 300 N ) (cos 30 ° )(1.5 m)
W =1299. 04 J

ACTIVITY: Answer the following questions, write your answers on ½ sheet of paper.
COPY and ANSWER, show your COMPLETE SOLUTION.
1. What work is done by a service seaman who pushes a box along the vessel
floor with a force of 30 N over a distance of 5 m ?
2. By means of a wind glass, a cadet lifts a 100 N anchor 1 m high. Assuming that
the man exerted a force equal to the weight of the anchor, what work does he do
in joules?
3. Suppose a 120−Newton force is applied to lift a cargo at a displacement of 0.5
meters at an angle of 60 degrees . What is the amount work done?

ENERGY
The property of a body or a system by virtue of which work is done is called energy. It is a scalar quantity. It is also defined
as the ability to do work.
Energy and work are related. An anchorman carries the anchor at a certain height. With this, he is doing work. In order to do
work on the anchor, he needs energy. In order to acquire the needed energy, he needs foods. He uses this energy in
breathing and in going around as well in the performance of his job and daily tasks. This is also true with the cargo man and
other seafarers as well as all people in the world.
Because work is the transfer of energy, energy is the measure of the work done. As an example, if the engine of a vessel
does a 1,000-joule work, then, the engine puts out energy equal to 1,000 joules. The same units are used for measuring
work and energy.

Page 3 of 9
Energy can exist in many forms and can be transformed from one form to another. The diesel oil which is used in a vessel is
considered as a chemical energy which is stored in the tanks. This fuel oil is then burned inside the engine to form heat
energy in a form of steam that propels a turbine. The energy is then transformed into kinetic (mechanical) energy that sets
the vessel into motion. It is also being converted to electrical energy by which all the devices that make use of electricity
function. It is also converted to sound energy which in turn is responsible for all the devices related to sound. Heat energy is
likewise harnessed as used in the kitchen.
Energy possessed by an object by virtue of its motion is called kinetic energy or energy in motion. Energy of position or
configuration is called potential energy.
POTENTIAL ENERGY is the mechanical energy of bodies at rest. An object may store energy because of its position. Work
is required to lift objects against the gravity. The potential energy due to elevated position is called GRAVITATIONAL
POTENTIAL ENERGY. It is one of the most familiar forms of potential energy. The amount of gravitational potential energy
possessed by an elevated object is equal to its mass and height of its current position times the acceleration due to gravity.
Consider again an object of mass, m , lifted to a certain height, h . Work done on the object gives this object gravitational
potential energy. The change in the object’s gravitational potential energy is the work done in raising it to that height. Since
the work done on the object to raise it at that height is given by the equation,
W =mgh
then, the change in the object’s gravitational potential energy is
∆ PE=mgh
Where: PE= potential energy ∈ joules ( J )
m=mass∈kilograms( kg)
h=height ∈meters(m)
2
a∨g=acceleration due ¿ gravity=9.81 m/ s

Note: If the object is raised from the ground, the reference leve l is the ground. If the object, however, is raised from the
table, the table is the reference level.

EXAMPLE:
1. How much potential energy is gained by a 2-kg book when it is raised 1.5 m above the table?
Take note that we are looking for the increase in gravitational potential energy with reference to the table top. So, the zero
level is the table top.

Solution:
Let h = height above the table top
1. Write the equation that relates the given quantities and the unknown quantities. This equation is ∆ PE=mgh
2. Substitute the given quantities into the working equation. The basic equation is also the working equation

∆ PE=mgh
2
∆ PE=( 2 kg ) ( 9.81m/ s )(1.5 m)
∆ PE=29.43 joules

2. A book with mass of 1.5 kg on a table that is 1.2 m high is raised onto a shelf. The shelf is 2 m from the table top. a)
What is the gravitational potential energy of the book relative to the table top? b) What is the gravitational potential
energy of the book relative to the floor?

Solution:
a) The zero level is the table top.
1. The equation is ∆ PE=mg htabletop
2. Substitute the given quantities into the working equation.
∆ PE=mgh
2
∆ PE=( 1.5 kg ) ( 9.81m/ s )(1.2 m)
∆ PE=17.66 joules
Page 4 of 9
 b) The zero level is the floor
1. The equation is ∆ PE=mgh
Note: The height above the floor (h floor ) is the sum of the height of the table and the distance to the shelf:
h floor =h tabletop + distance ¿ shelf
Given that the distance to the shelf is 2m, h floor =1.2 m+2 m=3.2m

2. Substitute the given quantities into the working equation.

∆ PE=mgh
2
∆ PE=( 1.5 kg ) ( 9.81m/ s )(3.2 m)
∆ PE=47.09 joules

KINETIC ENERGY
Kinetic Energy is the energy in motion. If an object is moving, by the virtue of that motion, it is capable of doing work. An
object can do work I f it possesses energy. When work is done on an object, energy is applied which is equal to the amount
of work done on it.

Page 5 of 9
 ACTIVITIES: Copy and Answer, show your Detailed SOLUTION. Write it in a 1 whole sheet of paper.
Note: Use a∨g=9.81m/ s2
POTENTIAL ENERGY
1. A bag of groceries with mass of 5 kg is lifted to a height of 1 m. What is the increase in potential energy
of the bag at this point?
2. What is the increase in potential energy of a 5-kg barbell when it is lifted by the weightlifter 2 m above
the floor?
3. What is the potential energy possessed by a 50-kg cargo when it is raised 7m from the floor?
4. A 15.0-kg textbook is sitting on a 1.20m table. If the book is lifted 0.80m the table, how much
Gravitational Potential Energy does it have:
a. With respect to the table?
b. With respect to the floor?
5. A 400-N ship passenger climbs a 2-m high staircase. At the top, what is the total amount of Potential
Energy she gained?
KINETIC ENERGY
1. A 2-kg fish is swimming with a speed of 0.1 m/s. What is its KE?
2. What is the KE of a 5-kg object moving at a speed of 4 m/s?
3. A 1,500- kg car is moving at the rate of 25 m/s. What is the kinetic energy?
4. A 400-kg marine athlete runs at the speed of 7m/s. What is the kinetic energy.

ANSWER the ACTIVITY BELOW:

Page 6 of 9
Example 1:
At t=0 s, the object is 78.4 m from the ground. Assuming that the mass of the object is 1 kg. and using the equations for
PE, we have
PE=mgh
2
PE=(1 kg)(9.8 m/ s )(78.4 m)
PE=769.10 J
The KE at t=0 s is,
1 2
KE= m v
2
1 2
KE= (1 kg)(0)
2
KE=0

Page 7 of 9
The total mechanical energy of the free falling object at t=0 s is,
TME=PE+ KE
TME=769.10+0
At At t=1 s , the potential energy is,
PE=mgh
2
PE=(1 kg)(9.8 m/ s )(78.4 m−4.9 m)

PE=¿ (9.81 kgm/ s2 )(73.5 m)

PE=721.04 J
The KE at t=1 s is,
1 2
KE= m v
2
1 2
KE= (1 kg)(9.81 m/s)
2
1 2 2
KE= (1 kg)(96.24 m / s )
2
1 2 2
KE= (96.24 m /s )
2
KE=48.12 J
The Total Mechanical Energy is,
TME=PE+ KE
TME=7 21.04+ 48.12
TME=769.16 J

Page 8 of 9
Page 9 of 9