Chapter 8

8.3 In Fig 8-25, a 2.00g ice flake is released from the edge of a hemispherical bowl whose radius is
22 cm. The flake=bowl contact is frictionless. (a) how much work is done on the flake by the
gravitation force during the flakes descent to the bottom of the bowl? (b) What is the change in
the potential energy of the flake Earth system during the descent? (c) If that potential energy is
taken to be zero at the bottom of the bowl, what is its value when the flake is released? (d) If
instead, the potential energy is taken to be zero at the release point, what is its value when the flake
reaches the bottom of the bowl (e) If the mass of the flake were doubled, would the magnitudes of
the answers to (a) through (d) increase, decrease, or remain the same?

a) The work done is

W = -DU
= -(U f - U i )
= -(0 - mgy)
= 2 10-3 9.8m / s 2 0.22m
= 4.312 10-3 J
For this part of the problem, assume the bottom of the bowl is zero height

Uf = 0
U i = mgR
W = -(U f - U i )
= mgR
-3
b) See part (a). DU = -4.312 10 J

c) See part (a) U i = 4.312 10-3 J

that the top of the bowl is 0 height. The bottom would be -R
d) Assume

Ui = 0
U f = mg(-R) = -4.312 10-3 J

e) All of these answers are linear in m. If you double the mass, the results double.
8.8 Figure 8-29 shows a thin rod, of length L and negligible mass that can pivot about on end to
rotate in a vertical circle. A heavy ball of mass m is attached to the other end. The rod is pulled
aside through an angle q and released. As the ball descends to its lowest point, (a) how much
work does the gravitation force do on it and (b) what is the change in the gravitational potential
energy of the ball-Earth system? (c) If the gravitational potential energy is taken to be zero at the
lowest point, what is its value just as the ball is released? Do the magnitudes of the answers to (a),

through (c) increase, decrease, or remain the same if q is increased
We begin by drawing a picture. Notice that the distance that the ball is raised above its minimum
position is h.

 q L
L cos q

We can compute the value of h using the triangle. We know that the total length is L, so

h = L - L cosq

Now lets consider the questions.

(a-c) The work done

W = -DU
= -(U f - U i )
For gravitation, the change in the potential is

U i = mgh
Uf = 0
W = -(U f - U i )
= mgh
= mg(L - L cosq )

Note that we have taken zero height at the bottom. In this way, we really did a-c all at once.
(d) As the angle increases, so
does h. Because of this, the magnitudes of all of the answers get
larger as the angle increases.
8.19 A 2.0 kg block is placed against a spring on a frictionless 30 degree incline. (The block is not
attached to the spring.) The spring, whose spring constant is 19.6 N/cm, is compressed 20 cm and
then released. (a) What is the elastic potential energy of the compressed spring? (what is the
change in the gravitational potential energy of the block-Earth system as the block moves from the
release point to its highest point on the incline? (c) How far along the incline is the highest point
from the release point?

Dy

(a) First we compute the energy stored in the spring...

19.6 N 100cm
k= = 1960N / m
cm 1m
1 1
U s = k x 2 = (1960N / m) (0.2m) 2 = 39.20J
2 2
(b) The change in the gravitational potential energy is exactly equal to the energy stored in the
spring. All of the energy in the spring gets turned into gravitational potential energy.

DU g = U s = 39.20J

(c) Since we know the change in gravitational potential, we con compute the change and height and
the distance traveled up the incline
DU g = mgDy
D Ug 39.20J
Dy = = = 2m
mg 2.0kg 9.8m / s2
Dy 2m
d= = = 4m
sin q sin 30

8.23 The string in Fig 8-35 is L=120 cm long, has a ball attached to one end, and is fixed at its
other end. The distance d to the fixed peg at point P is 75.0cm. When the initially stationary ball is
released wit the string horizontal as shown, it will swing along the dashed arc. What is its speed
when it reaches (a) its lowest point and (b) its highest point after the string catches on the peg.
We begin by computing the total energy.

1 2
E i = mv i + mghi
2
= 0 + mgL
E i = mgL

The total energy remains constant throughout this problem. We now consider the lowest point.

1 2
E Low = mv Low + mghLow
2
hLow = 0
1 2
E Low = mv Low + 0
2
E Low = E i
1 2
mv Low = mgL
2
v Low = 2gL = 4.85m / s

b) We now consider the high point after catching

1 2
E High = mv High + mgh High
2
h High = 2 (L - d)
1 2
E High = mv High + 2mg(L - d)
2
E High = E i
1 2
mv High + 2mg(L - d) = mgL
2
1 2
mv High = 2mgd - mgL
2
2
v High = g(4d - 2L)
v High = g(4d - 2L)
= 2.42m / s

8.38 A single conservative force F(x) acts on a 1.0 kg particle that moves along the x axis. The
potential energy U(x) associated with F(x) is given by

U(x) = -4 x e- x / 4 J

where x is in meters. At x=5.0 m the particle has a kinetic energy of 2.0 J. (a) What is the
mechanical energy of the system. (b) Make a plot of U(x)as a function of x for 0 x 10m , and
on the same graph draw the line that represents the mechanical energy of the system. Use part (b)
to determine (c) the least value of x and (d) the greatest value of x which the particle can move. Use
part (b) to determine (e) the maximum kinetic energy of the particle and (f) the value of x at which
it occurs. (g) determine the equation for F(x) as a function of x. (h) for
what finite value of x does
F(x) equal.
(a) The mechanical energy of the system is computed from
E =K +U
= 2J + U(5)
= -3.7301J

(b) Using Mathematica, we canmake the following plot. The horizontal line represents the total
energy.

(c) and (d) From the graph, we can see that the turning point is approximately x=1.3 and x=9.3.

(e) and (f) The maximum kinetic energy occurs at x=4, at the minimum of the potential well.
Since the potential energy at this point is U(4)=-5.886 and the mechanical energy is -3.7301, we
can find the maximum kinetic energy
E =K +U
K = E - U = 3.7301J - 5.886J = 2.156J
(g) and (h). We can find the force by taking the derivative of the potential

 dU
F =- = 4 x e- x /4 - x e-x /4
dx
This equation relates the force to - slope of the potential We can clearly see that the slope is zero at
x=4. If we plot the force as a function of x, we also see where the force crosses zero.