Since energy is conserved the loss in kinetic energy is the gain in potential energy.
| Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|
| \[U = -\frac{G M_E m}{r}\] | The gravitational potential energy for a mass \(m\) at distance \(r\) from Earth’s center. |
| \[U_i = -\frac{G M_E m}{R_E}\] | Initial potential energy at Earth’s surface where \(r = R_E\). |
| \[U_f = -\frac{G M_E m}{3 R_E}\] | Final potential energy at altitude \(2R_E\) (distance from center is \(R_E + 2R_E = 3R_E\)). |
| \[\Delta U = U_f – U_i = -\frac{G M_E m}{3 R_E} + \frac{G M_E m}{R_E}\] | Find the change in potential energy. |
| \[\Delta U = \frac{2 G M_E m}{3 R_E}\] | Simplify the algebraic difference; the result is positive, meaning potential energy increases by this amount. |
| \[K_i + U_i = K_f + U_f\] | Conservation of mechanical energy (no non‑conservative work assumed). |
| \[K_i – K_f = \Delta U\] | Rearrange to relate the loss in kinetic energy to the gain in potential energy. |
| \[K_i – K_f = \frac{2 G M_E m}{3 R_E}\] | The rocket’s kinetic energy is reduced by this amount at the stated altitude. |
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If a small motor does 520 J of work to move a toy car 260 meters in a time of 37 seconds.
The efficiency of a pulley system is 55%. The
pulleys are used to raise a mass of 90.0 kg to a height of
5.60 m. What force is exerted on the rope of the pulley
system if the rope is pulled for 22 m in order to raise
the mass to the required height?
A typical \( 68 \text{-kg} \) person generates a steady mechanical power output of \( 120 \text{ W} \) at the pedals of a bicycle. Approximately how many Calories are “burned” (total metabolic energy expended) when the person rides a bicycle for \( 15 \text{ minutes} \)? A typical energy efficiency for the human body is \( 25\% \), which takes into account the release of thermal energy. Note (\( 1 \text{ Cal} = 4186 \text{ J} \)).
A ski lift carries skiers along a \(695 \, \text{m}\) slope inclined at \(34^\circ\). To lift a single rider, it is necessary to move \(72 \, \text{kg}\) of mass to the top of the lift. Under maximum load conditions, five riders per minute arrive at the top. If \(65\%\) of the energy supplied by the motor goes to overcoming friction, what average power must the motor supply?
A \( 7.3 \) \( \text{kg} \) mass is placed on a spring with a spring constant of \( 34 \) \( \text{N/cm} \). How much does this stretch the spring?
A proton (mp = 1.67 x10-27 kg) is being accelerated along a straight line at 3.6 ×1015 m/s2 in a machine. The proton has an initial speed of 2.4 x107 m/s and travels 3.5 cm.

The box in the diagram is sliding to the right across a horizontal table, under the influence of the forces shown. Which force(s) is doing negative work on the box?
A spring stretches \( 8.0 \) \( \text{cm} \) when a \( 13 \) \( \text{N} \) force is applied. How far does it stretch when a \( 26 \) \( \text{N} \) force is applied?
A rubber ball bounces off of a wall with an initial speed \(v\) and reverses its direction so its speed is \(v\) right after the bounce. As a result of this bounce, which of the following quantities of the ball are conserved?
A comet of mass \( m_c = 3.2 \times 10^{14} \) \( \text{kg} \) is orbiting a star with mass \( m_s = 1.8 \times 10^{30} \) \( \text{kg} \). The comet’s orbit is elliptical. At its closest point, the comet is a distance \( r_1 = 8.3 \times 10^{10} \) \( \text{m} \) from the star, and at its farthest point, the comet is a distance \( r_2 = 4.9 \times 10^{11} \) \( \text{m} \) from the star. What is the change in the kinetic energy of the comet as it moves along its orbit from distance \( r_2 \) to distance \( r_1 \) from the star?
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| Kinematics | Forces |
|---|---|
| \(\Delta x = v_i t + \frac{1}{2} at^2\) | \(F = ma\) |
| \(v = v_i + at\) | \(F_g = \frac{G m_1 m_2}{r^2}\) |
| \(v^2 = v_i^2 + 2a \Delta x\) | \(f = \mu N\) |
| \(\Delta x = \frac{v_i + v}{2} t\) | \(F_s =-kx\) |
| \(v^2 = v_f^2 \,-\, 2a \Delta x\) |
| Circular Motion | Energy |
|---|---|
| \(F_c = \frac{mv^2}{r}\) | \(KE = \frac{1}{2} mv^2\) |
| \(a_c = \frac{v^2}{r}\) | \(PE = mgh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{r}{g}}\) | \(KE_i + PE_i = KE_f + PE_f\) |
| \(W = Fd \cos\theta\) |
| Momentum | Torque and Rotations |
|---|---|
| \(p = mv\) | \(\tau = r \cdot F \cdot \sin(\theta)\) |
| \(J = \Delta p\) | \(I = \sum mr^2\) |
| \(p_i = p_f\) | \(L = I \cdot \omega\) |
| Simple Harmonic Motion | Fluids |
|---|---|
| \(F = -kx\) | \(P = \frac{F}{A}\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}\) | \(P_{\text{total}} = P_{\text{atm}} + \rho gh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}\) | \(Q = Av\) |
| \(x(t) = A \cos(\omega t + \phi)\) | \(F_b = \rho V g\) |
| \(a = -\omega^2 x\) | \(A_1v_1 = A_2v_2\) |
| Constant | Description |
|---|---|
| [katex]g[/katex] | Acceleration due to gravity, typically [katex]9.8 , \text{m/s}^2[/katex] on Earth’s surface |
| [katex]G[/katex] | Universal Gravitational Constant, [katex]6.674 \times 10^{-11} , \text{N} \cdot \text{m}^2/\text{kg}^2[/katex] |
| [katex]\mu_k[/katex] and [katex]\mu_s[/katex] | Coefficients of kinetic ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) and static ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) friction, dimensionless. Static friction ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) is usually greater than kinetic friction ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) as it resists the start of motion. |
| [katex]k[/katex] | Spring constant, in [katex]\text{N/m}[/katex] |
| [katex] M_E = 5.972 \times 10^{24} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Earth |
| [katex] M_M = 7.348 \times 10^{22} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Moon |
| [katex] M_M = 1.989 \times 10^{30} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Sun |
| Variable | SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]s[/katex] (Displacement) | [katex]\text{meters (m)}[/katex] |
| [katex]v[/katex] (Velocity) | [katex]\text{meters per second (m/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]a[/katex] (Acceleration) | [katex]\text{meters per second squared (m/s}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]t[/katex] (Time) | [katex]\text{seconds (s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]m[/katex] (Mass) | [katex]\text{kilograms (kg)}[/katex] |
| Variable | Derived SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]F[/katex] (Force) | [katex]\text{newtons (N)}[/katex] |
| [katex]E[/katex], [katex]PE[/katex], [katex]KE[/katex] (Energy, Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy) | [katex]\text{joules (J)}[/katex] |
| [katex]P[/katex] (Power) | [katex]\text{watts (W)}[/katex] |
| [katex]p[/katex] (Momentum) | [katex]\text{kilogram meters per second (kgm/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\omega[/katex] (Angular Velocity) | [katex]\text{radians per second (rad/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\tau[/katex] (Torque) | [katex]\text{newton meters (Nm)}[/katex] |
| [katex]I[/katex] (Moment of Inertia) | [katex]\text{kilogram meter squared (kgm}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]f[/katex] (Frequency) | [katex]\text{hertz (Hz)}[/katex] |
Metric Prefixes
Example of using unit analysis: Convert 5 kilometers to millimeters.
Start with the given measurement: [katex]\text{5 km}[/katex]
Use the conversion factors for kilometers to meters and meters to millimeters: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}}[/katex]
Perform the multiplication: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}} = 5 \times 10^3 \times 10^3 \, \text{mm}[/katex]
Simplify to get the final answer: [katex]\boxed{5 \times 10^6 \, \text{mm}}[/katex]
Prefix | Symbol | Power of Ten | Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
Pico- | p | [katex]10^{-12}[/katex] | 0.000000000001 |
Nano- | n | [katex]10^{-9}[/katex] | 0.000000001 |
Micro- | µ | [katex]10^{-6}[/katex] | 0.000001 |
Milli- | m | [katex]10^{-3}[/katex] | 0.001 |
Centi- | c | [katex]10^{-2}[/katex] | 0.01 |
Deci- | d | [katex]10^{-1}[/katex] | 0.1 |
(Base unit) | – | [katex]10^{0}[/katex] | 1 |
Deca- or Deka- | da | [katex]10^{1}[/katex] | 10 |
Hecto- | h | [katex]10^{2}[/katex] | 100 |
Kilo- | k | [katex]10^{3}[/katex] | 1,000 |
Mega- | M | [katex]10^{6}[/katex] | 1,000,000 |
Giga- | G | [katex]10^{9}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000 |
Tera- | T | [katex]10^{12}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000,000 |
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