Guía Physics
Guía Physics
Guía Physics
Mechanics
Potential energy
1. Stored energy or energy due to
position is known as Potential
energy.
2. The formula for calculating
potential energy is mgh.
3. The three factors that determine
the amount of potential energy in an
object are
mass, gravitational acceleration, and
height of an object.
4. Potential energy is measured in units of joules(J).
5. Mass must be measured in units of kg.
6. Gravitational pull must be measured in units of m/s2.
7. Height must be measured in units of m.
14553 J
9. What distance is a book from the floor if the book contains 196
Joules of potential
energy and has a mass of 5 kg?
PE = mgh
In this problem, m = 5kg and PE = 196 J. G or gravitational acceleration is
always 9.8
m/s2.
So, 196 J = 5kg 9.8 m/s2 xm, x = 4m
4m
Kinetic energy
1.
2.
3.
Solution
Define downward as negative. For convenience we draw the forces on
the diagram and it becomes the free body diagram. Note that the
bathroom scale will indicate the normal force acting upward on Bob.
Since the acceleration is downward we know that the normal force has
to be less than the weight force so that a net downward force acts on
Bob.
S F = ma
Fn + Fw = ma
Fn = ma - Fw
but Fw = - mg
"g" is not an acceleration although it has the units of acceleration. It
is an indication of the gravity field. "g" is a vector and has a negative
value since it points downward. On planet Earth g = 9.8 m/s2. An
object will have this downward acceleration due to gravity only when
it is in freefall.
Fn = ma - (- mg)
= ma + mg
The mg term will always be positive but the ma term's sign will
change depending on whether the acceleration points up or down.
= m(a + g)
= (100 kg)( - 4 m/s2 + 9.8 m/s2 )
a = - 4 m/s2 because the acceleration is downward. It would be
positive if the acceleration were upward.
= 580 n
Problem 2
2. If a person who weighs 500 N is standing on a scale in an
elevator. As the elevator begins to move, the scale reads 600 N.
a) Calculate the magnitude and directon of the acceleration of the
person.
b) Also, calculate the magnitude and direction of the person if the
scale would have read 450 N.
Solution
From Newtons Second Law, Force = mass * acceleration
therefore the persons mass = F / g
where g = acceleration due to gravity = 9.81 m/s^2
= 500 / 9.81
= 50.97 kg
a) Now, for the scale to read 600 N, the acceleration has to be 600 /
50.97 = 11.77 m/s^2 which is 1.96 m/s^2 greater than gravity,
therefore the elevator is moving upwards, compressing the spring in
the scales.
b) If the scales read 450 N, acceleration would be 450 / 50.97 = 8.83
m/s^2 which is 0.98 m/s^2 less than gravity, so the elevator would
be moving downwards, allowing the spring in the scales to expand
slightly.
Balloon
Problem 1
The envelope and basket of a hot-air balloon have combined
mass of 331 kg. The spherical envelope of the balloon has a
radius of 10 m when fully inflated. What is the maximum mass of
the passengers the balloon can carry when the temperature of
Problem
Determine the following quantities for each of the two circuits shown
below
i.
RT =
R1
R2
R3
RT =
20
30
50
RT = 100
ii.
Total current is determined by the voltage of the power supply and the
equivalent resistance of the circuit.
IT = VT/RT
IT = 125 V/100
IT = 1.25 A
iii.
IT = I1 = I2 = I3 = 1.25 A
iv.
V1 = I1R1
V1 = (1.25 A)(20 )
V1 = 25.0 V
V2 = I2R2
V2 = (1.25 A)(30 )
V2 = 37.5 V
V3 = I3R3
V3 = (1.25 A)(50 )
V3 = 62.5 V
v.
There are three equations for determining power. Since we have three
resistors, let's apply a different equation to each as an exercise.
P1 = V1 I1
P1 = (25.0 V)(1.25 A)
P1 = 31.250 W
P2 = I22R2
P2 = (1.25 A)2(30 )
P2 = 46.875 W
P3 = V32/R3
P3 = (62.5 V)2/(50 )
P3 = 78.125 W
Relationship between magnetism and electricity
Electricity and magnetism are closely related to each other. The electric current
flowing through the wire produces a circular magnetic field outside the wire.
Electricity and magnetism are closely related to each other. The electric current
flowing through the wire produces a circular magnetic field outside the wire.
The direction (clockwise or counter-clock wise) of this magnetic field is depends
on the direction of the electric current.
In the similar way, a changing magnetic field produces an electric current in a
wire or conductor. The relationship between electricity and magnetism is called
electromagnetism.
Electromagnetism is the third effect observed when charge moves in a
circuit the electric current gives rise to a magnetic field. But it was not the
observation of a magnetic effect arising from a current in a wire that began
the ancient study of magnetism. Early navigators knew that some rocks are
magnetic. As with the nature of electric charge, the true origins of magnetic
effects remained obscure for many centuries. Only comparatively recently
has an understanding of the microscopic aspects of materials allowed a
The repulsion between the like poles of two bar magnets is familiar
to us. The forces between magnets of even quite modest strength are
impressive. Modern magnetic alloys can be used to produce tiny magnets (less than 1
cm in diameter and a few millimetres thick) that can easily
attract another ferromagnetic material through significant thicknesses of
a non-magnetic substance.
At the beginning of a study of magnetism, it is usual to describe the
forces in terms of fields and field lines. You may have met this concept
before. There is said to be a magnetic field at a point if a force acts on a
magnetic pole (in practice, a pair of poles) at that point. Magnetic fields
are visualized through the construction of field lines.
Magnetic field lines have very similar (but not identical) properties to
those of the electric field lines in Sub-topic 5.1. In summary these are:
Magnetic field lines are conventionally drawn from the northseeking
pole to the south-seeking pole, they represent the direction
in which a north-seeking pole at that point would move.
The strength of the field is shown by the density of the field lines,
closer lines mean a stronger field.
The field lines never cross.
The field lines act as though made from an elastic thread, they tend
to be as short as possible.
Thermal Physics
Nuclear physics
Conversion of
nuclear energy