CHAPTER-14

KINETICS OF A PARTICLE:
Work & Energy

Book:
▪ Engineering Mechanics Dynamics, R. C. Hibbeler, 14th Ed
 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.
 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
 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
U1−2 = 2
mv2 − mv1
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 =
μkN
 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:

P=
dU F .dr or
= P = F .V
dt dt
• 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:
14.4, 14.10, 14.23, 14.29, 14.31, 14.33, 14.34, 14.49, 14.58
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.
PROBLEM 14-29
The collar has a mass of 20kg and rests on the smooth rod. Two springs are attached to it and
the ends of the rod as shown. If each spring has an uncompressed length of 1 m and the collar
has a speed of 2 m/s when s = 0, determine the maximum deflection of each spring due to the
back-and-forth (oscillating) motion of the collar.
PROBLEM 14-34
The spring bumper is used to arrest the motion of the 4-lb block, which is sliding toward it at v
= 9 ft/s. As shown, the spring is confined by the plate P and wall using cables so that its length
is 1.5 ft. If the stiffness of the spring is k = 50 lb/ft, determine the required unstretched length
of the spring so that the plate is not displaced more than 0.2 ft after the block collides into it.
Neglect friction, the mass of the plate and spring, and the energy loss between the plate
and block during the collision.
 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
 CONSERVATIVE 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
 CONSERVATIVE 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 ks 22 − 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.
 CONSERVATIVE 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.
 CONSERVATIVE 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
 CONSERVATIVE 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:
14.81, 14.86, 14.93, 14.95, 14.97
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 14-81
When s = 0, the spring on the firing mechanism is unstretched. If the arm is pulled back such that s =
100 mm and released, determine the maximum angle θ the ball will travel without leaving the
circular track. Assume all surfaces of contact to be smooth. Neglect the mass of the spring and the
size of the ball.
PROBLEM 14-95
The cylinder has a mass of 20 kg and is released from rest when h = 0. Determine its speed
when h = 3 m. Each spring has a stiffness k = 40 N/m and an unstretched length of 2 m.