Problem 1: If a man lifts a 20.0-kg bucket from a well and does 6.00 kJ of work, how deep is the well?

Assume that the speed of the bucket remains constant as it is lifted.

Solution: To lift the bucket at constant speed, the woman exerts an upward force
( )
whose magnitude is F = mg = ( 20.0 kg ) 9.80 m s 2 = 196 N . The work done is
W = ( F cos θ ) s , so the displacement is

W 6.00 × 103 J
s= = = 30.6 m .
F cos θ (196 N ) cos 0°

Problem 2: A block of mass 2.50 kg is pushed 2.20 m along a frictionless horizontal table by a constant
16.0 N force directed 25.0° below the horizontal. Determine the work done by (a) the applied force, (b) the
normal force

Solution: (a) WF = ( F cos θ ) s = ⎣⎡(16.0 N ) cos 25.0°⎦⎤( 2.20 m ) n

F=
16. s = 2.20 m
0N
WF = 31.9 J 25.0°
2.50 kg
(b) Wn = ( n cos 90°) s = 0

(c) Wg = ( mg cos 90°) s = 0 mg

(d) Wnet = WF + Wn + Wg = 31.9 J + 0 + 0 = 31.9 J

Problem 3: A mechanic pushes a 2.50 x 103-kg car from rest to a speed of v, doing 5 000 J of work in the
process. During this time, the car moves 25.0 m. Neglecting friction between car and road, find (a) v and (b)
the horizontal force exerted on the car.

Solution: (a) The work-energy theorem, Wnet = KE f − KEi , gives

1
5000 J =
2
( )
2.50 × 103 kg v 2 − 0 , or v = 2.00 m s .

(b) W = ( F cos θ ) s = ( F cos 0°) ( 25.0 m ) = 5000 J , so F = 200 N .

Problem 4: On a frozen pond, a 10-kg sled is given a kick that imparts to it an initial speed of v0 = 2.0 m/s.
The coefficient of kinetic friction between sled and ice is μk = 0.10. Use the work-kinetic energy theorem to
find the distance the sled moves before coming to rest.

Solution: The initial kinetic energy of the sled is

1 1
(10 kg )( 2.0 m s ) = 20 J ,
2
KEi = mvi2 =
2 2

and the friction force is fk = μk n = μk mg = ( 0.10)( 98 N ) = 9.8 N .

0 − KEi −20 J
Wnet = ( fk cos180°) s = KE f − KEi , so s = = = 2.0 m
fk cos180° −9.8 N

Problem 5: A 2.00-kg ball is attached to a ceiling by a 1.00-m-long string. The height of the room is 3.00
m. What is the gravitational potential energy associated with the ball relative to (a) the ceiling? (b) the floor?
(c) a point at the same elevation as the ball?

Solution: (a) Relative to the ceiling, y = -1.00 m.

( )
Thus, PEg = mgy = ( 2.00 kg ) 9.80 m s 2 ( −1.00 m ) = − 19.6 J .

(b) Relative to the floor, y = 2.00 m, so

PEg = mgy = ( 2.00 kg ) ( 9.80 m s 2 ) ( 2.00 m ) = 39.2 J .

(c) Relative to the height of the ball, y = 0, and PEg = 0 .

Problem 6: A 2.1 x 103-kg car starts from rest at the top of a 5.0-m-long driveway that is sloped at 20°
with the horizontal. If an average friction force of 4.0 x 103 N impedes the motion, find the speed of the car
at the bottom of the driveway.

Solution: Choose PEg = 0 at the level of the bottom of the driveway.

(
Then Wnc = KE + PEg ) − ( KE + PE )
f g i becomes

1
( f cos180°) s = ⎡⎢ 2 mv2f + 0⎤⎥ − ⎡⎣0 + mg ( s sin 20°) ⎤⎦ .
⎣ ⎦

2f s
Solving for the final speed gives v f = ( 2 gs) sin 20° − m
, or

or v f = 2 ( 9.80 m s 2 ) ( 5.0 m ) sin 20° −

( )
2 4.0 × 103 N ( 5.0 m )
= 3.8 m s .
2.10 × 10 kg
3
Problem 7: A bead of mass m = 5.00 kg is released from point A and slides on the frictionless track shown
in the figur. Determine (a) the bead’s speed at points B and C and (b) the net work done by the force of
gravity in moving the bead from A to C.

Solution: (a) From conservation of mechanical energy, A

B
1 2 1
mvB + mgyB = mvA2 + mgyA , or 5.00 m C
2 2 3.20 m
2.00 m
vB = vA2 + 2 g ( yA − yB )

( )
= 0 + 2 9.80 m s 2 (1.80 m ) = 5.94 m s .

Similarly,

vC = vA2 + 2 g ( yA − yB ) = 0 + 2 g ( 5.00 m − 2.00 m ) = 7.67 m s .

(b) Wg ) A →C
( ) − ( PE )
= PEg
A g C = mg ( yA − yC ) = ( 49.0 N )( 3.00 m ) = 147 J

Problem 8: A projectile is launched with a speed of 40 m/s at an angle of 60° above the horizontal. Find
the maximum height reached by the projectile during its flight by using conservation of energy.

Solution: At maximum height, vy =0 and vx =vix = ( 40 m s ) cos 60° = 20 m s .

Thus, v f = vx2 + vy2 = 20 m s . Choosing PEg = 0 at the level of the launch

point, conservation of mechanical energy gives PE f = KEi − KE f , and the
maximum height reached is

yf =
vi2 − v 2f
=
( 40 m s ) − ( 20 m s )
2 2

= 61 m .
2g (
2 9.80 m s 2 )
Problem 9: Three objects with masses, m1 = 5.0 kg, m2 = 10 kg, and m3 = 15 kg, are attached by strings
over frictionless pulleys as indicated in the figure. The horizontal surface is frictionless, and the system is
released from rest. Using energy concepts, find the speed of m3 after it moves down 4.0 m.

Solution: Realize that all three masses have identical speeds at each point in the
motion and that vi = 0 . Then, conservation of mechanical energy gives

KE f = PEi − PE f , or

1
2
( ) ( ) (
( m1 + m2 + m3 ) v2f = ⎡⎣m1 y1i − y1 f + m2 y2i − y2 f + m3 y3i − y3 f ⎤⎦ g )
1
Thus,
2
(
( 30.0) v 2f = [ ( 5.00)( −4.00 m ) + (10.0)( 0) + (15.0)( +4.00 m ) ] 9.80 m s 2 )
yielding v f = 5.11 m s .

Problem 10: In a circus performance, a monkey is strapped to a sled and both are given an initial speed of
4.0 m/s up a 20° inclined track. The combined mass of monkey and sled is 20 kg, and the coefficient of
kinetic friction between sled and incline is 0.20. How far up the incline do the monkey and sled move?

Solution: The normal force exerted on the sled by the track is n = mg cos θ and the
friction force is fk = μk n = μk mg cos θ .

If s is the distance measured along the incline that the sled travels, applying
(
Wnc = KE + PEg ) − ( KE + PE )
f g i to the entire trip gives

1
⎡⎣( μk mg cos θ ) cos180°⎤⎦ s = ⎡⎣0 + mg s ( sin θ ) ⎤⎦ − ⎡⎢ mvi2 + 0 ⎤⎥ ,
⎣2 ⎦

or s=
vi2
=
( 4.0 m s )2 = 1.5 m .
2 g ( sin θ + μk cos θ ) (
2 9.80 m s 2 ) ( sin 20° + 0.20cos 20°)