Episode 213: Preparation for Work, Energy and Power Topic

From the Institute of Physics, this series of learning episodes explore work, energy and power. Students perform some useful experiments with trolleys, weights and pulleys. Students should have a simple understanding of energy, how it is transferred by a force and the idea of conservation of energy. In these episodes, these ideas can be developed to make them more quantitative.

The learning episodes look at topics that include:

Episode 214: Work done by a force

Episode 215: Forces on vehicles

Episode 216: Energy changes

Episode 217:  Conservation of energy

Episode 218: Mechanical power

Following completion of this topic, students should be able to use the following equations:

• work done = force x distance moved in the direction of force

• potential energy = mgh

• power = work done/ time taken = rate of energy transfer •

power = force x velocity

• efficiency = useful energy transferred / total work done

They will:

1. understand energy transfers from potential energy to kinetic energy

2. equate work done in decelerating to rest with initial kinetic energy

3. apply these ideas to situations in which vehicles and passengers are accelerated or decelerated

4. understand and use the principle of conservation of energy (as applied to mechanical energy).