Physics I Class 11: Conservative Forces, Non-Conservative Forces, and Collisions

Physics I
Class 11
Conservative Forces,
Non-Conservative Forces,
and Collisions
Rev. 19-Feb-06 GB
11-1
Conservation of Energy
(Review)
1. Multi-dimensional

form of work integral:
xf
 
W   F  dx

xi
2. Conservative force = work doesn’t depend on path.
3. Potential Energy defined for a conservative force:
 
A
U(A)    F  dx
0
4. Gravity: Ug  m g ( y  y0 )  m g h
5. Spring: U s  12 k ( x  x 0 ) 2
6. Conservation of energy if only conservative forces operate:
 K   U or | K   U  0|
11-2
Conservative Forces
Non-Conservative Forces
Examples of Conservative Forces:
 Gravity
 Ideal Spring (Hooke’s Law)
 Electrostatic Force (later in Physics 1)
Examples of Non-Conservative Forces:

 Human Pushes and Pulls
 Friction
11-3
Is Mechanical Energy
Always Conserved?
Total Mechanical Energy
EKU
E  K  U  0 if only conservative forces act
When Non-Conservative Forces Act
E  K  U  Wnon cons
This is equivalent to
K f  U f  K i  U i  Wnon cons
Non-conservative forces add (+) or subtract (–) energy.
11-4
Example of Energy Lost to
Friction (Non-Conservative Force)
Kf  0
U f  m g h  70  9.8  1.5  1029J
K i  12 m v 2  12  70  64  2240J
Ui  0 h
v d
h  d sin( )  3  12  1.5m

A skateboarder with mass = 70 kg starts up a 30º

incline going 8 m/s. He goes 3 m along the
incline and comes to a temporary stop. What was
the force of friction, assuming it was constant?
11-5
Example of Energy Lost to
Friction (Non-Conservative Force)
Kf  0
U f  m g h  70  9.8  1.5  1029J
K i  12 m v 2  12  70  64  2240J
Ui  0 h
v d

Wfriction  K f  U f  K i  U i  1029  2240  1211J

Wfriction  1211
Ffriction    403.7 N
d 3
What do the – signs mean?
11-6
Elastic and Inelastic Collisions
Momentum is conserved in a collision process because only internal

forces are acting. External forces are considered separately.
In many collisions a large percentage of the kinetic energy is lost.

These are known as inelastic collisions. For example, any collision
in which two objects stick together is always inelastic.
If the kinetic energy after a collision is the same as before, then we

have an elastic collision. During the collision process, some of the
kinetic energy can convert to potential energy of various kinds, but
after the collision is over all of the kinetic energy is restored.
11-7
Elastic Collisions in
One Dimension
+X
Initial v1i v2i
Final v1f v2f
Conservation of Momentum:
m1v1i  m 2 v 2i  m1v1f  m 2 v 2 f
Conservation of Energy:
1
2
m1v 21i  12 m 2 v 2 2i  12 m1v 21f  12 m 2 v 2 2 f
Two equations, two unknowns (final velocities).
11-8
One Dimension
+X
Initial v1i v2i
v1f v2f
Final
m1  m 2 2 m2
v1f  v1i  v 2i
m1  m 2 m1  m 2
2 m1 m 2  m1
v 2f  v1i  v 2i
m1  m 2 m1  m 2
11-9
One Dimension - Example
m 2  2 m1
+X
v1i  1 m/s v1i
v 2i  0 v1f v2f
1 2 2 2 1 Initial: m1 has all of the

v1f  (1)  (0)   m/s momentum and KE.
2 1 2 1 3 Final: m1 has –1/3 of the mom.
and 1/9 of the KE.
2 1 2 1 2
v2f  (1)  (0)   m/s m2 has +4/3 of the mom.
2 1 2 1 3 and 8/9 of the KE.
11-10
Class #11
Take-Away Concepts
1. Modification of energy conservation including non-
conservative forces:
E = K + U = Wnon-cons
2. Non-conservative work adds (+) or subtracts (–)
energy from the system.
3. Elastic collision preserves KE before and after.
(Don’t assume all collisions are elastic, most are not.)
4. Special equations for 1D elastic collisions.
m1  m 2 2 m2
v1f  v1i  v 2i
m1  m 2 m1  m 2
2 m1 m  m1
v 2f  v1i  2 v 2i
m1  m 2 m1  m 2
11-11
Class #11
Problems of the Day
___ 1. An elastic collision is one in which:

A. momentum is not conserved but kinetic energy is the same
before and after.
B. a rubbery object bounces off something else.
C. kinetic energy is the same before and after, and momentum
is conserved.
D. momentum is conserved but kinetic energy changes.
E. the total impulse is equal to the change in kinetic energy.
11-12
Class #11
Problems of the Day
2. A bicycle rider with combined mass of rider+bicycle = 80 kg

starts down a hill at 10 m/s. After coasting (not pedaling) 100 m,
the rider has dropped 10m below his starting height and now has a
speed of 15 m/s. What was the force of friction plus air resistance
on the bicycle (magnitude) assuming it was constant?
11-13
Activity #11
Friction and Energy
Objective of the Activity:
1. Add friction and see how that affects

conservation of energy.
2. Practice everything we have learned in
Physics I up to this point.
11-14
Class #11 Optional Material
Elastic Collisions in 2/3D
In order to solve 2D and 3D two-body elastic collision problems

more easily, we need to introduce two key concepts.
1. The laws of physics are identical in all inertial frames of

reference. (See the optional material on Special Relativity.)
2. Use a moving coordinate system called the Center of
Momentum System in which the total momentum is zero.
11-15
Center of Momentum
Reference Frame
We introduce a moving reference frame in which the
total momentum of the system is zero.
The X' axis is aligned with
the initial momenta.
p1
Y'
p1'
Laboratory frame of reference.
p2
X'
p2'
11-16
Analyzing the Collision in the
Center of Momentum
 p1'  p2'
Before the collision: p1 '  p 2 '
p1''

Original direction of momentum.
 depends on the details of the collision.

p2''
After collision, to conserve momentum (zero):

 
p1"   p 2 "
And to conserve kinetic energy:
 
| p1"|  | p1 ' |
11-17
Transform Back to the
Laboratory Frame of Reference
p1f
This is just an example, not all elastic collisions turn out this way.
p2f = 0
Apply the inverse coordinate transform to get back to the

laboratory reference frame.
In Special Relativity, this is complicated because time mixes into

the transformation.
The one-dimensional equations shown on previous slides can be

derived using this method by setting  = 180º.
11-18

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Physics I

Examples of Non-Conservative Forces:

A skateboarder with mass = 70 kg starts up a 30º

Wfriction  K f  U f  K i  U i  1029  2240  1211J

Momentum is conserved in a collision process because only internal

In many collisions a large percentage of the kinetic energy is lost.

If the kinetic energy after a collision is the same as before, then we

Initial v1i v2i

Final v1f v2f

Initial v1i v2i

v1i  1 m/s v1i

1 2 2 2 1 Initial: m1 has all of the

___ 1. An elastic collision is one in which:

2. A bicycle rider with combined mass of rider+bicycle = 80 kg

Objective of the Activity:

1. Add friction and see how that affects

In order to solve 2D and 3D two-body elastic collision problems

1. The laws of physics are identical in all inertial frames of

 depends on the details of the collision.

After collision, to conserve momentum (zero):

Apply the inverse coordinate transform to get back to the

In Special Relativity, this is complicated because time mixes into

The one-dimensional equations shown on previous slides can be

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