Question

The amount of kinetic energy an object has can actually be calculated and measured in a unit called joules. For example, it takes about 1 joule of energy to pick up an apple and lift it 100 cm. Look up the formula for kinetic energy online. Use the formula to calculate (in joules) the kinetic energy of a car with 4 washers that has a total mass of 160 grams and a speed (velocity) of 200 cm/s. Compare that to a car with no washers that has a mass of 30 grams and a speed (velocity) of 90 cm/s.

Answer 1

etic and Potential Energy

HomeTable of ContentsThermodynamics Gateway PageIn this module:IntroductionKinetic and Potential EnergyThe First Law of ThermodynamicsSystems and Sign Conventions

Chemists divide energy into two classes. Kinetic energy  is energy possessed by an object in motion. The earth revolving around the sun, you walking down the street, and molecules moving in space all have kinetic energy.

Kinetic energy is directly proportional to the mass of the object and to the square of its velocity: K.E. = 1/2 m v2. If the mass has units of kilograms and the velocity of meters per second, the kinetic energy has units of kilograms-meters squared per second squared. Kinetic energy is usually measured in units of Joules (J); one Joule is equal to 1 kg m2 / s2.

 Calculate the kinetic energy in Joules possessed by each of the following objects. Remember to use the correct number of significant figures in your answer.

A. A 500 g wooden block moving at 2 m/s.JB. A 71 kg man walking at 1.0 m/s.JC. A 71 kg man running at 5.0 m/s.JD. A 1816 kg car (2 tons) travelling at 26.8 m/s (60 mph).J

Potential energy  is energy an object has because of its position relative to some other object. When you stand at the top of a stairwell you have more potential energy than when you are at the bottom, because the earth can pull you down through the force of gravity, doing work in the process. When you are holding two magnets apart they have more potential energy than when they are close together. If you let them go, they will move toward each other, doing work in the process.

The formula for potential energy depends on the force acting on the two objects. For the gravitational force the formula is P.E. = mgh, where m is the mass in kilograms, g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m / s2 at the surface of the earth) and h is the height in meters. Notice that gravitational potential energy has the same units as kinetic energy, kg m2 / s2. In fact, all energy has the same units, kg m2 / s2, and is measured using the unit Joule (J).