1.
Work, Energy, and Power
Work
Definition: Work is defined as the energy transferred when a force causes a
displacement.
Formula:
𝐹
=
𝑑
⋅
⋅
cos
𝜃
(
)
where:
𝐹
is the force applied,
𝑑
is the displacement,
𝜃
is the angle between the force and the displacement vector.
Units: Joule (J)
Key Concept: Only the component of the force in the direction of the displacement
contributes to work.
Energy
Kinetic Energy:
Formula:
𝐸
𝑘
=
1
𝑚
2
𝑣
2
Describes the energy due to an object’s motion.
Potential Energy:
Gravitational Potential Energy:
𝐸
𝑝
𝑚
=
𝑔
ℎ
where
ℎ
is the height above a reference level.
Elastic Potential Energy (springs):
𝐸
𝑝
(
spring
)
=
1
𝑘
2
𝑥
2
𝑘
where
𝑥
is the spring constant and
is the displacement from equilibrium.
Conservation Principle: In the absence of non-conservative forces (like friction),
the total mechanical energy (kinetic + potential) of a system remains constant.
Power
Definition: Power is the rate at which work is done or energy is transferred.
Formula:
𝑊
=
𝑡
where
is the time over which the work is performed.
Units: Watt (W)
=
Joule per second (J/s)
2. Kinematics
Overview
Kinematics is the branch of mechanics that deals with the description of motion
without considering the forces causing it. It focuses on displacement, velocity,
and acceleration.
Key Quantities
𝑠
Displacement (
or
𝑥
Δ
): The change in position of an object.
𝑣
Velocity (
): The rate of change of displacement. It is a vector, which means it has both
magnitude (speed) and direction.
𝑎
Acceleration (
): The rate of change of velocity.
Fundamental Equations (for constant acceleration)
Final Velocity:
𝑢
=
𝑎
+
𝑢
where
is the initial velocity.
Displacement:
𝑢
=
𝑡
+
1
𝑎
2
𝑡
2
Velocity-Displacement Relation:
𝑣
2
𝑢
=
2
+
𝑎
2
𝑠
Graphical Representations:
Displacement-time graphs
Velocity-time graphs (the slope gives acceleration, and the area under the curve
gives displacement)
Acceleration-time graphs
3. Motion
Definition and Description
Motion: It is the change in an object’s position with respect to time.
Types of Motion:
Uniform Motion: Motion with constant velocity (zero acceleration).
Uniformly Accelerated Motion: Motion with constant acceleration.
Projectile Motion: Two-dimensional motion where horizontal motion is uniform
(constant velocity) and vertical motion is uniformly accelerated (due to gravity).
Describing Motion
Position: The location of an object at a given time.
Velocity: The speed and direction at which an object is moving.
Acceleration: How quickly the velocity changes.
Important Concepts
Instantaneous vs. Average Quantities:
Instantaneous velocity is the velocity at a particular moment.
Average velocity is the total displacement divided by the total time.
Derivatives in Motion:
The velocity is the derivative of the position with respect to time:
𝑡
(
𝑑
=
𝑡
(
𝑑
)
𝑡
The acceleration is the derivative of velocity (or the second derivative of
position):
𝑡
(
𝑑
=
𝑡
(
𝑑
)
𝑑
=
𝑥
2
𝑡
(
𝑑
)
𝑡
2
4. Newton's Laws
Newton’s First Law (Law of Inertia)
Statement: An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion remains in
uniform motion (constant velocity) unless acted upon by an external net force.
Implication: It explains the natural tendency of objects to continue in their state
of motion unless disturbed.
Newton’s Second Law
Statement: The net force acting on an object is equal to the mass of the object
multiplied by its acceleration.
Formula:
𝑚
=
𝑎
Concept: This law quantifies how forces affect motion and forms the basis for
solving many dynamics problems.
Newton’s Third Law
Statement: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Implication: Forces always come in pairs. When one body exerts a force on a second
body, the second body simultaneously exerts a force of equal magnitude but in the
opposite direction on the first body.
5. Momentum and Impulse
Momentum
Definition: Momentum is the product of an object’s mass and velocity.
Formula:
𝑚
=
𝑣
It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction.
Impulse
Definition: Impulse is the change in momentum resulting from a force applied over a
specific time interval.
Formula:
𝐹
=
𝑡
Δ
𝐹
where
is the force and
𝑡
Δ
is the time interval.
Impulse-Momentum Theorem:
𝐽
=
𝑝
Δ
This theorem states that the impulse on an object is equal to its change in
momentum.
Conservation of Momentum
Principle: In an isolated system (i.e., one with no external forces), the total
momentum before any collision or interaction is equal to the total momentum after
it.
Applications:
Analyze collisions (elastic and inelastic).
Explains recoil effects (such as a gun's recoil when firing a bullet).
Summary & Tips for Your Exam
Understand Key Concepts: Master the definitions and formulas for work, energy,
power, kinematics, Newton's laws, and momentum.
Practice Problems: Work through examples to solidify your understanding of how
these principles apply to different situations.
Relate Concepts: Notice how the work-energy theorem connects work with kinetic
energy and how impulse relates to momentum.
Draw Diagrams: For motion and forces, sketch free-body diagrams and graphs to help
visualize the problems.
Review Units and Conversions: Ensure you’re comfortable with units (Joules, Watts,
m/s, m/s²) and converting between them if necessary.
