PhysicsLAB: Conservation of Energy

Refer to the following information for the next four questions.

A ball gains 30 J of potential energy when lifted to the top of a vertical post.

How much potential energy will it gain if rolled to the top of an incline that is the same height as the post?

If the ramp is then subdivided into three equally spaced steps, how much potential energy will it have on the second step?

On the third step?

If the ball where to fall off the back of the platform, how much kinetic energy would it have when it strikes the ground?

A massive steel container in initially lifted to a position directly above a post that needs to be driven into the ground.

According to the picture, when the rope is cut, how much work will the steel container do on the post when they collide?

A pendulum is initially displaced to a height h where it has 10 J of potential energy. After it is released, specify the amount of kinetic energy that it will have at each of the following positions in its swing.

1/5^th h

bottom

side

KE

A ball is released from rest at the top of a semi-circular ramp. Identify the missing quantity of energy where specified.

top

middle

E

KE₁ =

KE₂ =

KE₃ =

KE₄ =

If a car, when moving at 30 km/hr, has 1 x 10⁶ J of kinetic energy, how much kinetic energy would it have if it doubled its speed to 60 km/hr? tripled its speed to 90 km/hr?

30 km/hr

60 km/hr

90 km/hr

KE