STRAND 2: ENERGY [Year 12 Physics]

2.1 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION

OBJECTIVES: At the end of the topic students should be able to:

 Describe mechanical energy quantitatively as the sum of kinetic and potential energy
 Apply the law of conservation of energy to solve energy problems
 Describe evidence of global warming, consequences of it and possible solution

WORK
Work is the process that transfers energy from one form to another. It is defined as the product of force and
distance.
Work = force × distance
Unit: (Joules or Newton meter)

Example

For the diagram shown, calculate the work done in moving the body horizontal distance in 3m.

POWER
Power is the rate of work done in a unit of time.

𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾
𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷 =
𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻
Unit: J/s or Watts (W)
Note:

 Both work and energy are scalar quantity.

 Both work and energy are measured in joules.
MECHANICAL ENERGY

Mechanical energy is the sum of potential energy and kinetic energy present in the components of a
mechanical system. It is the energy associated with the motion or position of an object.

There are two types; energy of motion (kinetic energy) and stored energy due to position (potential energy).

𝟏𝟏
𝑲𝑲 𝑬𝑬 = 𝒎𝒎𝒗𝒗𝟐𝟐 𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷 = 𝒎𝒎𝒎𝒎𝒎𝒎
𝟐𝟐

𝑀𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 = 𝐾𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 + 𝑃𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦

𝟏𝟏
𝑴𝑬𝑬 = 𝑻𝑻𝒗𝒗𝟐𝟐 + 𝑻𝑻𝒎𝒎𝒎𝒎
𝟐𝟐
𝐾𝐸 = 𝑘𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 (𝐽) Unit: Joules or kgm2/s2
𝑃𝐸 = 𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 (𝐽)

𝑀𝐸 = 𝑚𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 (𝐽)

𝑚 = 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 (𝑘𝑘𝑔)

𝑣 = 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑛 𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 (𝑚/𝑠)

𝑔 = 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 (10𝑚/𝑠 2 )

ℎ = ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 (𝑚)

Stationary

Moving at height

Ground level
HOOKE’S LAW

A spring is an object that can be deformed by a force and then return to its original shape after the force is
removed.

“The force required to stretch an elastic object such as a metal spring is directly proportional to the
extension of the spring”. This is known as Hooke's law and written as:

𝐹𝐹 = 𝑘𝑘𝑥𝑥

Ep = ½kx2

Where F = Force applied on spring (N)

x = Extension of the spring (m)
k = Spring/Force constant (N/m)
Ep= Elastic potential energy (J)

 Area under the graph gives the energy stored in the

spring.
 Energy stored in springs is known as Elastic Potential
energy.
 Slope of the graph gives spring constant, k.

Example
1. A spring is stretched by 50 cm and has force constant of 2 N/m. Calculate the Force applied?
k = 2 N/m,
x = 50cm = 0.5 m. F= kx
=2 × 0.5
=1N
2. A force of 100 N is stretching a spring by 0.2 m. Calculate the force constant?
F = 100 N
x = 0.2 m. F= kx
k = F/x
= 100/0.2
= 500 N/m
3. A mass of 0.5kg hung from the end of a spring extends the spring by 25cm.
a) Calculate the spring constant

b) How much elastic potential energy is stored in the spring

SPECIFIC HEAT
Heat Energy, (H or Q): is the total amount of energy contained by all the particles of the body.

Temperature, (t): is the degree of hotness of a body i.e. a measure of the average kinetic energy of the
particles.

Specific Heat Capacity, (c): The Heat Energy required to raising the temperature of 1kg of the substance by
1℃ is known as specific heat capacity

Specific heat capacity of water = 4200 Joules/kg℃ .i.e. it requires 4200 Joules of energy to raise the
temperature of 1kg of water by 1℃.

Q = m c ∆t

Where; Q = Energy absorbed or liberated (Joules)

m = mass of substance (kg)
c = specific heat capacity of the substance (Joules/kg℃ )
∆t is the change in temperature (℃)

Example
How much energy is required to heat 100gram of water from 10℃ to 15℃

m = 100g, = 0.1kg
c = 4200 J/kg℃,
∆t = 15℃ - 10℃ = 5℃

Q = mc∆t
Q = (0.1) x (4200) x (5)
Q = 2100 J
LATENT HEAT ENERGY (𝑸𝑸𝑳𝑳 )

Latent Heat of a substance is the amount of energy needed to change the state of 1kg of the substance
without changing its temperature.
𝑸𝑸𝑳𝑳 = m L

Latent Heat of fusion i.e melting/freezing (𝑳𝑳𝒉𝒉 ) [Temperature remains same i.e. 0℃]
Latent Heat of vaporization i.e evaporation/condensation (𝑳𝑳𝒗𝒗 ) [Temperature remains same i.e. 100℃]

Example
Find the amount of energy released when 1gram of steam at 100℃ condenses and cools to 20℃ water.

Steam to Water (Change in state so 𝑄𝐿𝑣 = 𝑚𝐿𝑣 )

Hot water @ 100℃ to cool water @ 20℃ (Q = m c ∆t)
Cwater = 4200 Joules/kg℃
m = 1g = 0.001kg
∆t = 100℃ - 20℃ = 80℃
𝐿𝑣 = 250000 J/kg

𝑄𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑑 = 𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑚 − 𝐻𝑜𝑡 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 + 𝐻𝑜𝑡 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 − 𝐶𝑜𝑜𝑙 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟

𝑄𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑑 = 𝑸𝑸𝑳𝑳 + 𝑸𝑸

150℃

100℃

0℃

-50℃

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CONSERVATION OF ENERGY
First Law of Thermodynamics
The law of conservation of energy states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Energy can only
be converted from one form into another.
Sometimes the energy is transferred into several forms of energy. This means that energy can be created but
cannot be destroyed or lost, it can only be conserved/ changed to other forms of energy.

Example
1. A body is dropped from a height of 15m.What is its velocity as it reaches the ground.
Energy Transformation: Potential Energy to Kinetic Energy

2. A bunging jumper of mass 75kg jumps off a bridge over a river. The spring constant of the rubber
bands that makes up the bunging rope is adjusted so that the jumper head just touches the river at
maximum stretch (30m) before springing back up in to the air. If the natural length of the bunging
rope is 10m, calculate the spring constant. Assume no energy is lost due to friction.

Conservation of Energy: Potential Energy to Elastic Potential Energy

P.E = mgh = 75 x 10 x 30 = 22500 J

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ALBEDO
Albedo is the measurement of reflectivity of sunlight by any object. Objects reflecting more sunlight have
high albedo while those reflecting less have a low albedo.

GREENHOUSE EFFECT
The greenhouse effect is the natural process by which the atmosphere traps some of the Sun's energy,
warming the Earth enough to support life.
Without the greenhouse effect, the earth would be much cooler than it is now and life would be difficult.
However, too much greenhouse warming could raise global temperatures (Global warming).

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Consequences of greenhouse-effect

Possible Solutions to Greenhouse Effect

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 SOLAR SPECTRUM
Generally the sun emits ultra violet (UV), visible, infra-red (IR) radiation and the earth’s atmosphere
absorbs UV and IR radiation while Visible goes through to the earth’s surface. The surface of the earth
absorbs Visible and re-radiates it as IR which is absorbed by the atmosphere trapping it like greenhouses.

𝑬𝑬 = 𝒉𝒉𝒉𝒉
𝒉𝒉𝒉𝒉
𝑬𝑬 =
𝛌𝛌

EXERCISE

1. When an object is taken to a high altitude, its potential energy

A. increases.
B. decreases.
C. remains same.
D. becomes zero.

2. The diagram below shows a 10 kg cart placed on track at O and is given enough energy to enable it to
get over hills P and T and return to a same level track at U. Assume the track from O to U is
frictionless.

(i) How much kinetic energy should be given to the cart?

(ii) What is the cart’s total kinetic energy at R?

 (iii) What is the speed of the cart at U?

3. A spring stretches 10cm when a force of 50N is applied to it.

i. State Hooke’s law.

ii. Calculate the value of the spring constant, k, of the spring.

iii. What will be the extension of the spring when a force of 200N is applied to it?

iv. What amount of elastic potential energy is stored in the spring when stretched 10cm?

4. A steel bearing ball with a mass of 0.012 kg requires 132 J of energy when heated from 12°C to 28°C.
Calculate the specific heat capacity of the steel ball.

5. A lump of iron of specific heat capacity 5.03 x 102 J/kg℃ falls from a height of 220metres. If all the
energy it acquires in falling is used to heat it, find its rise in temperature.
[Potential energy to Heat Energy]

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6. If the energy possessed by a body of mass 50kg moving at a speed of 30m/s is used to heat 0.6kg of
water, what would be the rise in temperature?
[Kinetic energy to Heat Energy]

7. A 2 kg mass slide from a height of 2 m on a frictionless surface and compresses a spring of force
constant 100 N/m on a horizontal plane.[Potential energy to Elastic Potential Energy]

i. What is the speed of the mass just before it compresses the spring?

ii. How far will the spring be compressed when the mass comes to rest?

8. Define the term ALBEDO.

9. Discuss the possible causes and consequence of Greenhouse effect.

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10. Describe evidences of global warming and what are the solutions to this?

11. The table given below shows the region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

(i) Write down the names of regions A and B.

(ii) Which electromagnetic spectrum has the longest wavelength?

(iii) Which electromagnetic spectrum has the highest energy?

The End

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