Honors Physics Study Guide: Work and Energy

Flashcards covering key concepts related to Work and Energy in Physics.

Work

The process that forces use to change energy, calculated as Work = Force x displacement.

Kinetic Energy (KE)

Energy due to an object's motion, calculated as KE = ½ mv².

Potential Energy (PE)

Energy stored in an object due to its position relative to other objects, especially in a gravitational field.

Power

The rate at which energy changes or work is done, calculated as Power = ΔE / Δt.

Joule (J)

The standard unit of work or energy, equivalent to one newton-meter (N·m).

Conserved Quantity

A property that remains constant in a closed system, such as energy.

Gravitational Potential Energy

Potential energy associated with an object's height in a gravitational field, calculated as PE = mgh.

Force

A push or pull acting upon an object that can change its motion.

Friction

A force that opposes the motion of an object, doing work to change its energy.

Mass (m)

The quantity of matter in an object, measured in kilograms (kg).

Acceleration (a)

The rate of change of velocity of an object, often caused by a net force.

Displacement (Δx)

The change in position of an object; a vector quantity.

Velocity (v)

The speed of something in a given direction.

Equilibrium

A state in which all forces acting on an object balance each other, resulting in constant velocity.

Mechanical Energy (ME)

The total energy of an object, the sum of kinetic and potential energy.

Frictional Work

The work done by friction force acting against the direction of motion.

Kinetic Energy Relation to Speed

Kinetic energy is proportional to the square of the speed; doubling the speed results in four times the kinetic energy.

Energy Transfer

The process of energy moving from one system or object to another, as in lifting weights or pushing objects.

Newton's First Law

An object in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by a net external force.

Newton's Second Law

The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass.

Force and Displacement Relation

Forces that are parallel to the displacement of an object will do work; perpendicular forces will not.