Kinetic and Potential Energy
Kinetic energy is the energy an object has when it is in motion and is equal to ½ mv2. There are several different types of
potential energy. This particular worksheet deals with gravitational potential energy, GPE (or also abbreviated with Ug),
which is equal to mgh. These two forms of energy are often converted back and forth between each other as energy is
conserved.
1.
A squirrel sits in a tree holding a 0.02 kg nut.
a. How much gravitational potential energy does the nut have if it is held 5 meters above the ground?
b. How much kinetic energy does the nut have while the squirrel holds it?
c. How muck gravitational potential energy does the nut have just as it hits the ground?
d. How muck kinetic energy does the nut have just as it hits the ground?
e. What is the final velocity of the nut just as it hits the ground?
2. A 2 kg ball rolls down an incline plane that is 3 meters high on the back side and 7 meters long on the slope.
Calculate
a. Pei
b. PEf
c. Kei
d. Kef
e. Vf
f. a
g. W
3. The diagram shows a pendulum swinging from left to right. At what point is
a. KE the greatest?
b. KE the least?
c. PE the greatest?
d. PE the least?
e. Momentum the greatest?
f. Momentum the least?
g. Velocity the greatest?
h. Velocity the least?
4. The bob on the pendulum has a mass of 2 kg and a velocity of 3 m/s at the lowest point.
a. Calculate the KE.
b. How much work is done on the bob from point 1 to point 3?
c. How much work is done on the bob from point 3 to point 5?
5.
Two balls of the same mass roll down slope A and B below. Which ball has the greatest final velocity?
A
6.
B
As Sally skates along the sidewalk, her kinetic energy is 3,000 J. If Andy, who has twice the mass as Sally, skates
along right beside her at the same velocity, what is his kinetic energy?
7. A car with 320,000 joules of kinetic energy moves along at a velocity of 60 mi/h. What is the mass of the car?
(1 mile= 1600 m, 1 h= 3600 s)
Point in ride
8.
W
Meters off the
ground
20
X
2
Y
11
Z
5
The mass of the roller coaster is 100 kg. What is the change in potential energy from point a.) W to X, b.) W to
Y, c.)W to Z, d.) X to Y, and e.) X to Z?
9. What is the kinetic energy at points X, Y, and Z if the cart started from rest at point W?