Potential energy

Gravitational potential energy (GPE) is the energy stored in an object when work is done in moving the object upwards.

GPE = weight x height = mxg xh

GPE is measured in joules (J) weight is measured in newtons (N) height is measured in metres (m) g is the acc. due to gravity (9.8 ~10)
The weightlifter stores gravitational potential energy when he lifts the weights.

What is gravitational potential energy?

The gravitational potential energy (GPE) of an object on Earth depends on its mass and its height above the Earths surface. When a bungee jumper starts to fall he starts to lose GPE. As the elastic cord pulls the bungee jumper back up, he gains GPE.

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Calculating GPE question 1

An osprey with a mass of 2 kg flies at a height of 200 m above the ground. How much gravitational potential energy does the osprey have?

GPE = mass x gravitational field strength x height = 2 x 10 x 200 = 4,000 J

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Calculating GPE question 2

An apple with a mass of 200 g falls 3 m from its branch to the ground. How much GPE will the apple have lost when it reaches the ground?

change GPE = mass x gravitational field strength x in height lost

= 0.2 x 10 x 3 = 6J
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Question
Calculate the gravitational potential energy gained by a student of mass 70kg climbing a flight of stairs of height 4m. weight = mass gravitational field strength = 70kg x 10N/kg = 700N GPE = weight x height = 700N x 4m Gravitational potential energy = 2 800 joules

What is kinetic energy?

The word kinetic comes from the Greek word kinesis, meaning motion. Kinetic energy is the energy an object has because it is moving. All moving things have kinetic energy, but the amount of energy they have is not just dependent on how fast they are moving.

What other factors affect the kinetic energy of a moving object?

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Kinetic energy
Kinetic energy is the energy possessed by a body because of its speed and mass. kinetic energy = x mass x (speed)2

kinetic energy is measured in joules (J) mass is measured in kilograms (kg) speed is measured in metres per second (m/s)

Calculating kinetic energy question

A car with a mass of 1,500 kg travels at a velocity of 20 m/s. What is the kinetic energy of the car?

kinetic energy = x mass x velocity2 = x 1,500 x 202 = 300,000 J = 300 kJ

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Calculate the KE for these projectiles

Effective range
Muzzle velocity Cartridge

450 m
940 m/s (3,084 ft/s) 5.56x45mm NATO 4 g SS109 ammo

Effective range
Muzzle velocity

1,800 m (1,969 yd)

853 m/s (2,799 ft/s)

Cartridge .50 BMG (12.799mm NATO) 49 g Hornady ammo

Rearranging the KE equation

Sometimes it is necessary to rearrange the kinetic energy equation in order to calculate the mass or the velocity of a moving object.

KE = mv2
What are the rearranged versions of this equation for calculating mass and velocity?

m =

2KE v2

v =

2KE m

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Question 1
Calculate the kinetic energy of a car of mass 1000kg moving at 5 m/s. kinetic energy = x mass x (speed)2 kinetic energy = x 1000kg x (5m/s)2 kinetic energy = x 1000 x 25 kinetic energy = 500 x 25 kinetic energy = 12 500 joules

Question 2
Calculate the kinetic energy of a child of mass 60kg moving at 3 m/s. kinetic energy = k.e. = x 60kg k.e. = x 60 x k.e. = 30 x 9 kinetic energy = x mass x (speed)2 x (3m/s)2 9

270 J

Question 3
Calculate the kinetic energy of a apple of mass 200g moving at 12m/s. kinetic energy = x mass x (speed)2 k.e. = x 200g x (12m/s)2 k.e. = x 0.200kg x 144 k.e. = 0.100 x 144 kinetic energy = 14.4 J

Question 4
Calculate the mass of a train if its kinetic energy is 2MJ when it is travelling at 4m/s.

kinetic energy = x mass x (speed)2 2MJ = x mass x (4m/s)2 2 000 000J = x mass x 16 2 000 000 = 8 x mass 2 000 000 8 = mass mass = 250 000 kg

Question 5
Calculate the speed of a car of mass 1200kg if its kinetic energy is 15 000J. kinetic energy = x mass x (speed)2 15 000J = x 1200kg x (speed)2 15 000 = 600 x (speed)2 15 000 600 = (speed)2 25 = (speed)2 speed = 25 speed = 5 m/s

Question 6
Calculate the speed of a ball of mass 400g if its kinetic energy is 20J. kinetic energy = x mass x (speed)2 20J = x 400g x (speed)2 20 = x 0.400kg x (speed)2 20 = 0.200 x (speed)2 20 0.200 = (speed)2 100 = (speed)2 speed = 100 speed = 10 m/s

Question 7
A child of mass 40kg climbs a wall of height 3m and then steps off. Calculate the speed at which the child reaches the bottom of the wall.
Childs weight = mass gravitational field strength

If air resistance is insignificant then all of this GPE is converted into kinetic energy
kinetic energy = x mass x (speed)2

= 40kg x 10N/kg Childs weight = 400N

Childs intial gravitational potential enery = weight x height = 400N x 4m GPE = 1 600 J

1600 J = x 40kg x (speed)2 1 600 = 20 x (speed)2 1 600 20 = (speed)2 80 = (speed)2 speed = 80

speed = 8.94 m/s

Momentum

What is momentum?
All moving objects have momentum. This is a measure of how difficult it is to stop a moving object. If these two cars have the same mass but one is quicker than the other, which has the most momentum? The faster car.

If both cars travel at the same velocity, but one is full with luggage and the other is empty, which will have the most momentum? The heavier car.
The bigger an object is and the faster it moves, the more momentum it will have and the more difficult it will be to stop.
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Momentum has both magnitude and direction. Its direction is the same as the velocity.
The greater the mass of a rugby player the greater is his momentum

How is momentum calculated?

The momentum of an object can be calculated using this equation:

momentum = mass x velocity

Mass is measured in kilograms (kg). Velocity is measured in metres per second (m/s). Momentum is measured in kilogram metres per second (kg m/s).

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Scalar or vector?
Velocity is a vector quantity this means it has a magnitude (size) and direction. Scalar quantities, such as speed, only have a magnitude. As velocity is needed to calculate momentum, momentum must also be a vector quantity and it therefore has a direction. If two objects of the same mass are moving in opposite directions but at the same speed (i.e. their velocities are different), the momentum of each object will be of the same magnitude but a different direction. A + and a - are often used to indicate the direction of momentum of moving objects.
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Calculating momentum question

An aircraft carrier has a mass of 1,000,000 kg and a velocity of 15 m/s. What is its momentum?

momentum = mass x velocity = 1,000,000 x 15

= 15,000,000 kg m/s
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Question 1
Calculate the momentum of a rugby player, mass 120kg moving at 3m/s. momentum = mass x velocity = 120kg x 3m/s momentum = 360 kg m/s

Question 2
Calculate the mass of a car that when moving at 25m/s has a momentum of 20 000 kg m/s.

momentum = mass x velocity becomes: mass = momentum velocity = 20000 kg m/s 25 m/s mass = 800 kg

Momentum and collisions

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Momentum conservation
Momentum is conserved in any collision or explosion provided no external forces act on the colliding or exploding bodies.

The initial momentum of the yellow car has been conserved and transferred to the red car

What is conservation of momentum?

If two objects collide or interact, the forces acting on each one will be the same size but in opposite directions. The same is true for the change in momentum of each object.

This means that the momentum lost by one of the objects will be gained by the other object. Therefore, whenever two objects collide or interact, momentum is conserved.
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Conservation of momentum question

Two trolleys collide and stick together. From the data below, calculate the velocity of the trolleys after the collision. trolley A mass = 3 kg velocity = 8 m/s momentum = 24 kg m/s (3 x 8) trolley B mass = 5 kg velocity = -4 m/s momentum = -20 kg m/s (5 x -4)

total momentum before collision = 4 kg m/s (24 + -20)

mass after collision = 8 kg (3 + 5) momentum after collision = 4 kg m/s velocity after collision = momentum / mass = 0.5 m/s
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Investigating momentum

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Question 1
A truck of mass 0.5kg moving at 1.2m/s collides and remains attached to another, initially stationary truck of mass 1.5kg. Calculate the common velocity of the trucks after the collision.

total momentum before collision momentum = mass x velocity 0.5 kg truck: = 0.5 kg x 1.2 m/s = 0.6 kg m/s 1.5 kg truck: = 1.5 kg x 0 m/s = 0 kg m/s total initial momentum = 0.6 kg m/s Momentum is conserved in the collision so total momentum after collision = 0.6 kg m/s total momentum = total mass x velocity 0.6 kg m/s = 2.0 kg x velocity 0.6 2.0 = velocity common velocity = 0.3 m/s

Question 2
A train wagon of mass 800 kg moving at 4 m/s collides and remains attached to another wagon of mass 1200 kg that is moving in the same direction at 2 m/s. Calculate the common velocity of the wagons after the collision.

total momentum before collision momentum = mass x velocity 800 kg wagon: = 800 kg x 4 m/s = 3200 kg m/s 1200 kg truck: = 1200 kg x 2 m/s = 2400 kg m/s total initial momentum = 5600 kg m/s Momentum is conserved in the collision so total momentum after collision = 5600 kg m/s total momentum = total mass x velocity 5600 kg m/s = 2000 kg x velocity 5600 2000 = velocity common velocity = 2.8 m/s

Choose appropriate words to fill in the gaps below:

mass multiplied The momentum of an object is equal to its ______ direction by its velocity. Momentum has _________, the same as the velocity, and is measured in kilogram _______ metres per second. forces act In any interaction of bodies, where no external _______ momentum is conserved. on the bodies, __________

In snooker, a head-on collision of a white ball with a red ball same initial can result in the red ball moving off with the ______ velocity of the white ball. This is an example of momentum conservation ____________.
WORD SELECTION: direction forces same conservation metres momentum mass

Momentum
Notes questions from pages 150 & 151 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. What is momentum? Copy out the equation at the top of page 150. State the units for each quantity in the equation. Copy and answer question (a) on page 150. Under a heading Conservation of momentum copy out the statement in bold at the bottom of page 150. Copy out the worked example on page 151. Copy and answer question (b) on page 151. Copy the Key Points on page 151. Answer the summary questions on page 151.

Momentum
ANSWERS

In text questions: (a) 240 kg m/s (b) 0.48 m/s

Summary questions: 1. (a) mass, velocity (b) momentum, force 2. (a) 5000 kg m/s (b) velocity = momentum / mass = 5000 / 2500 = 2.0 m/s

Head-on collisions
In this case bodies are moving in opposite directions. Momentum has direction. One direction is treated as positive, the other as negative. In calculations the velocity of one of the colliding bodies must be entered as a NEGATIVE number.
DIRECTION OF MOTION NEGATIVE POSITIVE

+ ve velocity

- ve velocity

Question 1
A car of mass 1000 kg moving at 20 m/s makes a head-on collision with a lorry of mass 2000 kg moving at 16 m/s. Calculate their common velocity after the collision if they remain attached to each other.
lorry, mass 2000kg

car, mass 1000kg 20 m/s 16 m/s

DIRECTION OF MOTION
NEGATIVE POSITIVE

total momentum before collision momentum = mass x velocity car: = 1000 kg x +20 m/s = +20000 kg m/s lorry: = 2000 kg x -16 m/s = -32000 kg m/s total initial momentum = -12000 kg m/s Momentum is conserved in the collision so total momentum after collision = -12000 kg m/s total momentum = total mass x velocity -12000 kg m/s = 3000 kg x velocity -12000 3000 = velocity common velocity = - 4 m/s The lorry/car combination will move in the original direction of the lorry.

Question 2
A car of mass 1000 kg moving at 30 m/s makes a head-on collision with a lorry of mass 2000 kg moving at 15 m/s. Calculate their common velocity after the collision if they remain attached to each other.
lorry, mass 2000kg

car, mass 1000kg 30 m/s 15 m/s

DIRECTION OF MOTION
NEGATIVE POSITIVE

total momentum before collision momentum = mass x velocity car: = 1000 kg x +30 m/s = +30000 kg m/s lorry: = 2000 kg x -15 m/s = -30000 kg m/s total initial momentum = 0 kg m/s Momentum is conserved in the collision so total momentum after collision = 0 kg m/s The lorry/car combination will not move after the collision.

Explosions

Before an explosion the total momentum is zero. As momentum is conserved, the total momentum afterwards must also be zero. This means that the different parts of the exploding body must move off in different directions.

Question 1
An artillery gun of mass 1500kg fires a shell of mass 20kg at a velocity of 150m/s. Calculate the recoil velocity of the gun.
artillery gun, mass 1500kg recoil shell, mass 20kg 150 m/s

The total momentum before and after the explosion is ZERO momentum = mass x velocity shell: = 20 kg x +150 m/s = +3000 kg m/s This must cancel the momentum of the gun. Therefore the guns momentum must be -3000 kg m/s gun: = 1500 kg x recoil velocity = -3000 kg m/s recoil velocity = - 3000 1500 = - 2m/s The gun will recoil (move to the left) with a velocity of 2 m/s.

Question 2
A girl of mass 60kg throws a boy, mass 90kg out off a swimming pool at a velocity of 2m/s. What is the girls recoil velocity?
boy, mass 90kg boy, mass 90kg
girl, girl, mass mass 60kg 60kg 2 m/s 2 m/s

recoil recoil

DIRECTION OF MOTION NEGATIVE POSITIVE

The total momentum before and after throwing the boy is ZERO momentum = mass x velocity boy: = 90 kg x +2 m/s = +180 kg m/s This must cancel the momentum of the girl. Therefore the girls momentum must be -180 kg m/s gun: = 60 kg x recoil velocity = -180 kg m/s recoil velocity = - 180 60 = - 3m/s The girl will recoil (move to the left) with a velocity of 3 m/s.

More on collisions and explosions

Notes questions from pages 152 & 153 1. Apart from size what other property does momentum have? 2. Copy and answer question (a) on page 152. 3. Explain how conservation of momentum applies in an explosion. 4. Why do guns recoil? 5. Copy and answer question (b) on page 153. 6. Copy the Key Points on page 153. 7. Answer the summary questions on page 153.

More on collisions and explosions

ANSWERS

In text questions: (a) The boat and the person who jumps off move away with equal and opposite amounts of momentum. (b) 25 m/s

Summary questions: 1. (a) momentum (b) velocity (c) force 2. (a) 60 kg m/s (b) 1.5 m/s

Force and momentum

A force will cause the velocity of an object to change and therefore also its momentum. The greater the force the faster the momentum changes.

force =

change in momentum time taken for the change

force is measured in newtons (N) change in momentum is measured in: kilogram metres per second (kg m/s) time is measured in seconds (s)

Equation proof
acceleration = velocity change time taken multiplying both sides of this equation by mass gives: (mass x acceleration) = (mass x velocity) change time but: (mass x acceleration) = force and: (mass x velocity) = momentum therefore: force = momentum change time taken

Question 1
Calculate the force required to change the momentum of a car by 24000 kgm/s over a 6 second period. force = momentum change time taken = 24000 kgm/s 6 s force = 4000N

Question 2
Calculate the time taken for a force of 6000N to cause the momentum of truck to change by 42000 kgm/s. force = momentum change time taken becomes: time taken = momentum change force = 42000 kgm/s 6000 N force = 7 seconds

Complete Answers
force 200 N 25 N 500 N momentum change 8000 kgm/s time taken 40 s 20 s 6s

500 kgm/s
3000 kgm/s

800 N
4N

8000 kgm/s
480 kgm/s

10 s
2 minutes

Car safety features

Crumple zones, air bags and a collapsible steering wheel are designed to increase the time taken for a driver or passenger to change momentum to zero during a crash. The equation: force = momentum change time taken shows that if the time taken is increased for the same momentum change the force exerted is decreased so is the injury to the driver or passenger.

Playground flooring question

ANSWER: The picture shows rubber tiles used for playground When a child falls to the floor its flooring. Explain how these can reduce injury to children. momentum changes from a high value to zero. The rubber flooring tiles increase the time taken for this change. force = change in momentum time taken for the change Therefore the force on the child is reduced and so is the potential injury.

Choose appropriate words to fill in the gaps below:

momentum The force exerted on an object is equal to the __________ time change caused divided by the ______ taken for the change.
crash An airbag activates during a car _______. The inflated increases the time taken for a drivers or airbag _________ velocity to fall to zero. The time taken for their passengers ________ zero momentum to fall to ______ is also increased. Therefore the force decreased _______ exerted on the driver or passenger is __________ injury and so is the potential ________ caused.

WORD SELECTION:
time velocity zero momentum force

decreased injury increases crash

Changing momentum
Notes questions from pages 154 & 155

1. What is the purpose of a cars crumple zones? 2. Copy the key points on page 155. 3. Copy and answer questions (a), (b) and (c) on pages 154 and 155. 4. Copy the Key Points on page 155. 5. Answer the summary questions on page 155.

Changing momentum
ANSWERS In text questions: (a) If a child falls off a swing, the rubber mat reduces the impact force by increasing the impact time when the child hits the ground. (b) The force is bigger (c) 1800 N Summary questions: 1. (a) stays the same (b) increases (c) decreases 2. (a) 24 000 kg m/s (b) (i) 2000 N (ii) 800 N

Virtual Physics Laboratory Simulations NOTE: Links work only in school

Roller Coaster.exe - Energy considerations

Online Simulations
Work (GCSE) - Powerpoint presentation by KT Kinetic Energy (GCSE) Powerpoint presentation by KT Gravitational Potential Energy (GCSE) - Powerpoint presentation by KT Energy Skate Park - Colorado Learn about conservation of energy with a skater dude! Build tracks, ramps and jumps for the skater and view the kinetic energy, potential energy and friction as he moves. You can also take the skater to different planets or even space! Rollercoaster Demo Funderstanding Energy conservation with falling particles - NTNU Ball rolling up a slope - NTNU Pulley System - Fendt BBC AQA GCSE Bitesize Revision: Work, force and distance Potential and kinetic energy Kinetic energy equation

Forces for safety

Notes questions from pages 156 & 157

1. Answer questions 1 and 2 on pages 156 and 157.

Forces for safety

ANSWERS
1. The air bag increases the time taken to stop the person it acts on. This reduces the force of the impact. Also, the force is spread out across the chest by the air bag so its effect is lessened again. 2. (a) 26 100 kg m/s (b) 34.8 m/s (c) Yes.

How Science Works

ANSWERS
(a) No. The upright position is slightly greater although there is no significant difference between the three sets of readings. The upright position propels the ball further. This prediction is even stronger if the 2nd go/front measurement is considered to be an anomaly. No. The measurements have a wide range within each set. There is even overlap of results. Position of the releae point. Categoric. By measuring the angle of the spoon to the upright. More information can be obtained. A graph can also be drawn and a pattern discerned (or not).

(b)
(c)

(d) (e) (f) (g)