Finding energy from graph area and calculating cosθ in two problems

10 replies · 3K views · last reply
haha1234
Messages
109
Reaction score
0

I have tried to solve this two question.
For question 13, I've plotted a graph.Is it correct?
But I can't find the answer by calculating the area under the line.

For question 11,What is the cosθ:cry:
 
Attachments
  • Screenshot of an online physics homework page: a problem on a conservative force Fx = 2x + 4 acting on a 5.10-kg particle, with entered answers 20.4 J, 0 J and 43.4 J, followed by a second question on the radial force from U(r) = A/r^10.
    ???.png
    25.7 KB · Views: 587
  • Graph of F in newtons against x in metres, a straight line through the origin rising to the right, labelled Fx=2x=4.
    ???1.png
    6.8 KB · Views: 450
  • Diagram of a square path in the xy-plane from the origin O to point C at (x, y), with the purple path O to A to C, the red path O to B to C, and the blue diagonal path O to C, plus the answer fields for parts a to d.
    ???2.png
    17.2 KB · Views: 466
Last edited:
You are plotting F(x) = 2x + 4, which has a non zero F intercept. But your method of finding the work done between those two values of x is correct. Alternatively you could just do the computation W = ∫Fdx, which is equivalent to your method.

In the next question, cosθ represents the cosine of the angle between the force and displacement vectors.
 
CAF123 said:
You are plotting F(x) = 2x + 4, which has a non zero F intercept. But your method of finding the work done between those two values of x is correct. Alternatively you could just do the computation W = ∫Fdx, which is equivalent to your method.
For this question, why the change in potential energy is not equal to zero?
 
haha1234 said:
For this question, why the change in potential energy is not equal to zero?
Why do you think it should be zero?
 
CAF123 said:
Why do you think it should be zero?

Since the object only moves in x direction:shy:
 
haha1234 said:
Since the object only moves in x direction:shy:
The key point here is that the force is a function of x. Since V = -W, and W was non zero, we already know that the change in potential energy is similarly non zero.

If you consider an object acted on upon by gravity moving only along the x axis. Gravity points downwards so the angle between the force vector and displacement is 90 degrees and hence W = F.dx = 0 and correspondingly the change in potential energy of the object is zero. The force in this case, though, is not a function of x.
 
CAF123 said:
The key point here is that the force is a function of x. Since V = -W, and W was non zero, we already know that the change in potential energy is similarly non zero.

If you consider an object acted on upon by gravity moving only along the x axis. Gravity points downwards so the angle between the force vector and displacement is 90 degrees and hence W = F.dx = 0 and correspondingly the change in potential energy of the object is zero. The force in this case, though, is not a function of x.

Sorry,but what is v?
And how to find the potential energy?:confused:
 
haha1234 said:
Sorry,but what is v?
V is potential energy here, perhaps you use U.

To elaborate on my example earlier, a block attached to a spring undergoes a restoring force F= -kx when it is displaced some x. We can talk about the potential energy stored in the spring even though the problem is 1 dimensional.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: 1 person
CAF123 said:
You are plotting F(x) = 2x + 4, which has a non zero F intercept. But your method of finding the work done between those two values of x is correct. Alternatively you could just do the computation W = ∫Fdx, which is equivalent to your method.

In the next question, cosθ represents the cosine of the angle between the force and displacement vectors.

How to find the cosθ?
Is the direction of F show as follow?
And what is the direction of the displacement vector?
 
Attachments
  • Diagram of three paths from origin O to point C(x, y) on an x-y plane: purple path O-A-C, red path O-B-C, and blue diagonal O-C, with a hand-drawn purple arrow and a red diagonal in a square beside it.
    ???2.png
    16.8 KB · Views: 410
haha1234 said:
How to find the cosθ?
cosθ is the angle between the force vector acting on the particle and and the displacement vector of the particle. The question asks about one particular force and so you have to first identify it's direction. It is not as you have shown it.
And what is the direction of the displacement vector?
Consider first the path OAC. This is made of two segments OA and AC. The particle travels from O to C. Consider each segment separately.