Topic 12
Work
Work is force times distance: when the force is constant, and when it changes. Use newtons and meters, and the answer comes out in . For tanks and ropes, slice the object so each piece has one force and one distance.
4 kinds of question. Open the one you are stuck on.
1Find the work done by a variable force
e.g. “A force of N moves an object from to m. Find the work”
Find the work done by a variable force
e.g. “A force of N moves an object from to m. Find the work”- 1Write the force and the interval
Convert to newtons and meters first. Lifting a mass kg takes the force with m/s.
- 2Set up
A constant force needs no integral: . The integral gives the same thing.
- 3Evaluate the integral
- 4Answer in joules, or solve for the unknown
If the work is given, set the integral equal to it and solve.
Remember: Force times distance, added up.
See it in a problem3 worked examples
A force of N acts on an object as it moves from m to m. Find the work done.
- 1Write the force and the interval
on , already in newtons and meters.
- 2Set up
.
- 3Evaluate the integral
.
- 4Answer in joules, or solve for the unknown
J.
J
A force N moves an object from m to m, doing J of work. Find .
- 1Write the force and the interval
on .
- 2Set up
.
- 3Evaluate the integral
.
- 4Answer in joules, or solve for the unknown
, so .
How much work does it take to lift a -gram book cm straight up? Use m/s.
- 1Write the force and the interval
kg, so N, constant on m.
- 2Set up
.
- 3Evaluate the integral
.
- 4Answer in joules, or solve for the unknown
J.
J
Common mistakes3
- Mixing units: centimeters and grams must become meters and kilograms before you multiply. J Nm.
- Using the mass as the force. Lifting kg takes N, not N.
- Dropping the constant when it is the unknown: keep in front of the integral until the last step.
2Find the work done stretching a spring using Hooke's law
e.g. “A force of … N is required to hold a spring stretched … cm beyond its natural length”
Find the work done stretching a spring using Hooke's law
e.g. “A force of … N is required to hold a spring stretched … cm beyond its natural length”- 1Convert every length to meters
- 2Find from
This is . is the stretch beyond the , not the total length. A hanging mass gives .
- 3Write the limits , as stretches beyond natural length
- 4Integrate:
Remember: Find k, then integrate kx.
See it in a problem3 worked examples
A force of N holds a spring stretched cm beyond its natural length. How much work does it take to stretch it from natural length to cm beyond?
- 1Convert every length to meters
cm m and cm m.
- 2Find from
, so N/m.
- 3Write the limits , as stretches beyond natural length
From to .
- 4Integrate:
.
J
Hanging a kg mass from a spring stretches it cm. How much work does it take to stretch the spring from cm to cm beyond its natural length?
- 1Convert every length to meters
m and m.
- 2Find from
N, so and N/m.
- 3Write the limits , as stretches beyond natural length
From to .
- 4Integrate:
.
J
A spring has natural length cm. A force of N holds it at a length of cm. Find the work needed to stretch it from cm long to cm long.
- 1Convert every length to meters
Natural length m; lengths , , m.
- 2Find from
At m the stretch is , so and N/m.
- 3Write the limits , as stretches beyond natural length
and : from to .
- 4Integrate:
.
J
Common mistakes3
- Using the spring's total length as . If the natural length is cm, a cm spring has m.
- Leaving lengths in cm: comes out times too small and the work times too big.
- Computing with the holding force. The spring's force grows as it stretches, so you must integrate.
3Find the work needed to pump water out of a tank
e.g. “How much work does it take to pump out all the water?”
Find the work needed to pump water out of a tank
e.g. “How much work does it take to pump out all the water?”- 1Put on a vertical axis; slice the liquid horizontally
Take as height above the bottom. Each slice is a thin layer of thickness .
- 2Find the slice's area , so its volume is
Similar triangles for cones and troughs, Pythagoras for spheres.
- 3Its weight:
For water the is kg/m. Use m/s.
- 4Find how far that slice must rise
To the top of the tank or to the spout: (outlet height) .
- 5Integrate weight × distance over the liquid only
Remember: Slice, weigh, lift, add.
See it in a problem3 worked examples
A vertical cylindrical tank has radius m and height m and holds water m deep. Find the work to pump all the water out through a spout m above the top of the tank.
- 1Put on a vertical axis; slice the liquid horizontally
= height above the bottom, (the water).
- 2Find the slice's area , so its volume is
, the same for every slice.
- 3Its weight:
N.
- 4Find how far that slice must rise
The spout is at m, so the slice rises .
- 5Integrate weight × distance over the liquid only
.
J
A trough is m long. Its ends are triangles pointing down, m wide at the top and m deep. It is full of water. Find the work to pump the water over the top.
- 1Put on a vertical axis; slice the liquid horizontally
= height above the bottom edge, .
- 2Find the slice's area , so its volume is
Similar triangles: width at height , so .
- 3Its weight:
N.
- 4Find how far that slice must rise
The top is at m: the slice rises .
- 5Integrate weight × distance over the liquid only
.
J
A conical tank stands point up: base radius m on the ground, height m. It is full of water. Find the work to pump all the water out through a hole at the top point.
- 1Put on a vertical axis; slice the liquid horizontally
= height above the ground, .
- 2Find the slice's area , so its volume is
Similar triangles: , so and .
- 3Its weight:
N.
- 4Find how far that slice must rise
The slice rises .
- 5Integrate weight × distance over the liquid only
.
J
Common mistakes4
- Integrating over the whole tank when it is only partly full: runs over the water, not the tank.
- Forgetting the spout: a spout m above the top adds m to every slice's distance.
- Using the cone's top radius for every slice. The radius changes with . Get it from similar triangles.
- Forgetting : is a mass, not a force.
4Find the work to lift a rope, chain or leaking bucket
e.g. “A … m cable of mass … kg is used to lift a bucket. How much work is needed?”
Find the work to lift a rope, chain or leaking bucket
e.g. “A … m cable of mass … kg is used to lift a bucket. How much work is needed?”- 1Let be the distance already pulled up,
is how far you pull. It can be less than the rope's length.
- 2Write the mass still hanging,
Rope: density (length left). Add any load. Leaking bucket: time speed, then subtract what has leaked.
- 3Force needed:
- 4Integrate:
Remember: The load gets lighter as you pull.
See it in a problem3 worked examples
A m rope of density kg/m hangs from a roof with a kg tool bag tied to its end. How much work does it take to pull the rope and bag up to the roof?
- 1Let be the distance already pulled up,
= meters pulled up, .
- 2Write the mass still hanging,
Rope left: m, so kg.
- 3Force needed:
N.
- 4Integrate:
.
J
A bucket holding kg of water is lifted m at a steady m/s. Water leaks out at kg/s. Ignoring the bucket and rope, find the work done.
- 1Let be the distance already pulled up,
= height lifted, .
- 2Write the mass still hanging,
Time to height : s, so kg (still kg at the top).
- 3Force needed:
N.
- 4Integrate:
.
J
A m chain with density kg/m hangs from the top of a tower. How much work does it take to pull up just the top m?
- 1Let be the distance already pulled up,
= meters pulled up, .
- 2Write the mass still hanging,
Chain still hanging: m, so kg.
- 3Force needed:
N.
- 4Integrate:
.
J
Common mistakes3
- Multiplying the whole rope's weight by the whole distance. Each piece rises a different amount, so you must integrate.
- Pulling up only part of a chain: the limits stop at the distance pulled, but the hanging length still starts at the full length.
- Leaking bucket: the leak is given per second. Turn it into per meter with the lifting speed.
Need the formulas? Must memorize · Flashcards
