Application of Newton's second law of motion requires that we should have detailed information about the motion at each point of the trajectory. For this reason, we mostly restricted its application to cases, where trajectory was linear and acceleration was constant. We also limited our discussion of two dimensional motions to the cases of parabolic and circular motions only. As a matter of fact, the set of equations (like v = u + at) relating attributes of motion is developed only for constant acceleration.

On the other hand, the concept of energy is a property of state at a given instant or position and is described by the parameters of state at that point. Similarly, work involves displacement - a quantity that depends on the end points of a physical process (not on the intermediate points). Then, we have other concepts like work - kinetic energy theorem, potential energy and conservative force that we shall study in subsequent modules. These concepts allow us to make calculation based on end points without considering details of intermediate points.

These concepts, therefore, gives a huge advantage to deal with motions, which are subjected to variable force system like pendulum, spring force and vertical circular motion. Also, concepts related to energy and work allow us to deal with motion on irregular trajectories, provided we have the requisite work and energy information at end points. We shall illustrate the working of these concepts in appropriate contexts.

Work refers to two vector quantities, but work itself is a scalar quantity. This has important implication - the way we analyze a physical process. Importantly, we can completely do away with the requirement of a coordinate system, if we wish so. It is a great simplification as far as real time application to problem situation is concerned. We shall illustrate this point of simplification about handling scalar "work" as against vectors like force, acceleration and velocity.

We must, however, also recognize that work is a signed scalar quantity. The meaning of sign attached to work is not same as in the case of vectors (force, acceleration and velocity), where sign has only meaning of direction and nothing else. The sign of work has specific meaning in relation to the physical process and is independent of coordinate directions being a scalar quanity. This is why it is possible to do way coordinate system altogether.

There are two equivalent ways to deal with the analysis of a process, involving work.:

Evaluating "Frcosθ" to compute work

We first need to recognize the magnitude of force and displacement. Then, we must also recognize the directions of two vectors to know the enclosed angle between two vectors. Finally, we substitute magnitudes without any reference to coordinate directions. We come to know the sign of work by the value of "cosθ".

Example 1

Problem : A block of 2 kg is brought up to the top along a rough incline of length 10 m and height 5 m by applying an external force. If the coefficient of kinetic friction between surfaces is 0.1, find work done by the friction during the up motion . (consider, g = 10 m / s 2 m / s 2 ).

Solution : Work is given by :

Figure 1: The forces on the incline (except external force)

Motion on a rough incline

W = F r cos φ W = F r cos φ

Note:

We denote "φ" instead of "θ" as angle between force and displacement to distinguish this angle from the angle of incline.

Here,

F = F k = μ k N = μ k m g cos θ ⇒ F = 0.1 x 2 x 10 x √ ( 1 - 5 2 10 2 ) = 2 x 0.87 = 1.74 N F = F k = μ k N = μ k m g cos θ ⇒ F = 0.1 x 2 x 10 x √ ( 1 - 5 2 10 2 ) = 2 x 0.87 = 1.74 N

To evaluate "Frcosφ", we need to know the angle between friction and displacement. In this case, this angle is 180° as shown in the figure.

Figure 2: The angle between friction and displacement

Motion on a rough incline

⇒ W = F r cos φ = 1.74 x 10 x cos 180 0 ⇒ W = 1.74 x 10 x ( - 1 ) = - 17.4 J ⇒ W = F r cos φ = 1.74 x 10 x cos 180 0 ⇒ W = 1.74 x 10 x ( - 1 ) = - 17.4 J

Using sign rule to compute work

Alternatively, we determine the component of force and multiply the same with displacement to find the value of "work". Then, we use the sign rule to assign sign to work : if component of force is in the direction of displacement, then work is positive, otherwise negative. Let us apply this analysis frame work to the problem given here,

Example 2

Problem : A block of 2 kg is brought up to the top along a smooth incline of length 10 m and height 5 m by applying an external force. Find work done by the gravity during the motion. (consider, g = 10 m / s 2 m / s 2 ).

Solution : The component of gravity (weight) along the direction of the displacement is :

Figure 3: Forces on the block (except external force)

Motion on a rough incline

⇒ m g sin θ = 2 x 10 x 5 10 = 50 N ⇒ m g sin θ = 2 x 10 x 5 10 = 50 N

Value of "work" is :

m g sin θ x r = 50 x 10 = 500 J m g sin θ x r = 50 x 10 = 500 J

The component of weight is in the opposite direction to the displacement. Hence, work by gravity is negative.

⇒ W = - 500 J ⇒ W = - 500 J

Work is done by a force applied on a particle or particle like body. Application of force on a moving block results in acceleration as shown in the figure. As a result, velocity of the block either increases or decreases. In other words, kinetic energy of the block either increases or decreases.

When component of force is in the direction of the displacement as the case in the figure, the velocity and consequently kinetic energy of the block increases (Kf > Ki). We shall know later that the kinetic energy of the block increases by the amount of work done by the force on it. This is what is known as "work - kinetic energy" theorem says. This theorem will be explained in a separate module.

Figure 4: The component of external force and displacement are in same direction.

Work done on a block

We need to interpret the statement that the kinetic energy of the block increases by the amount of work done on it by the external force to get the physical meaning of "work". Since work is added to kinetic energy, it means that "work" is actually "energy" as we can add only similar things together. Second, work is the "energy" which is being transferred by the force to the block. In this sense, "work" by a force is the energy transferred "to" the particle, on which force is applied.

Figure 5: The component of external force and displacement are in opposite directions.

Work done on a block

We, now, consider a reverse situation as shown in the figure above. The component of force is in the opposite direction to the displacement as shown in the figure. Here, work done on the block is negative. The kinetic energy of the block decreases (Kf < Ki) by the amount of negative work done by the external force. In this case, energy is transferred "out" of the block and is equal to the amount of negative work by force. Here also, "work" by a force is the energy transferred "from" the particle, on which force is applied. Thus, we can define "work" as :

Definition 1: Work

Work is the energy transferred by the force "to" or "from" the particle on which force is applied.

Work is the energy transferred by the force "to" or "from" the particle on which force is applied.

It is also clear that a positive work means transfer of energy "to" the particle and negative work means transfer of energy "from" the particle. Further, the term "work done" represents the process of transferring energy to the particle by the external force.

The concept of work will further be reinforced with the "work - kinetic energy" theorem as discussed in the following module.

We can summarize the main points of the context of work as :