Section 6.

Power

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6.5 Power (SB p. 142)

Power
Work – process of energy conversion ……
NOT ENOUGH to
distinguish the process
of energy conversion
100 J
100 J

HOW ? in 1 s

in 0.01 s
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6.5 Power (SB p. 142)

Power

Work done Energy transferred

Power = =
Time taken Time taken
W E
P= =
t t

• Unit: watt (W or J s−1)

• Faster work is done, greater power
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6.5 Power (SB p. 142)

Power rating
60 W Electrical Other
500 W energy energy

3 000 W

60 J in 1 s

500 J in 1 s

3 000 J in 1 s
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6.5 Power (SB p. 142)

Power rating

Chemical energy potential energy

Power of the boy
Potential energy gained
=
mgh Time taken
= t

For the 40 kg boy runs 5 m in 50 s

Power of the boy
40 × 10 × 5
= = 40 W
50

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6.5 Power (SB p. 143)

Class Practice 8:
(a) In a truck-pulling contest, two contestants pull two
identical trucks over the same distance on a rough road. In
each of the following cases, do they exert the same force? Do
they have the same work done? Do they possess the same
output power?

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6.5 Power (SB p. 143)

Class Practice 8 (Cont):

(i) They keep the truck moving at the same steady

speed. Ans
wer
They exert the same force over the same distance
so they have the same work done. Therefore they also
possess the same output power.

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6.5 Power (SB p. 143)

Class Practice 8 (Cont):

(ii) Contestant A passes the finishing post earlier than

contestant B. Ans
wer
Contestant A pulls the truck at a higher speed.
The time taken is shorter over the same distance.
Thus, the power output of A is greater than that of B.

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6.5 Power (SB p. 143)

Class Practice 8 (Cont):

(b) A machine lifts a load of mass 200 kg. Find the

average output power of the machine if the load is
raised by 5 m in 10 s. Ans
wer
5s
E
P=
t
5
= 200 × 10 ×
10
= 1 000 W 200 kg 5m

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6.5 Power (SB p. 144)

Power
Force (F ) is constant, another form of
power: v W P=
F t
= F ×s
s t
= F ×v
t
Power = Force × Velocity
P = Fv
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6.5 Power (SB p. 144)

Power
A car is travelling at a constant velocity.

Output power of the car (P)

= Fv
= (f + f′ )v

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6.5 Power (SB p. 144)

Class Practice 9:

A crane lifts a pack of steel rods at a constant speed of

0.5 m s−1. Given that the output power of the crane is
2 500 W. Find the mass of the steel rods. Ans
wer
P =F× v
P =m× g× v
2 500 = m × 10 × 0.5
∴ m = 500 kg

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6.5 Power (SB p. 146)

Useful Website

Lessons on Work & Energy

(http://www.sciencejoywagon.com
/physicszone/lesson/05work.htm)
Alternative Energy and Renewable Energy
Sources
(http://zebu.uoregon.edu
/1998/phys162.html)
Irish Energy Centre
(http://www.irish-energy.ie/home/index.asp)
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6.5 Power (SB p. 147)

Mind Map • apply force to make

something move
6.1 Mechanical work W = Fs
• a measure of energy transfer

due to its position under

6.2 Gravitational gravity
PE = mgh
potential energy (PE)

energy possessed by a
Work, energy body when moving 1
6.3 Kinetic energy (KE) KE = mv 2
and power 2

energy cannot be
created or
destroyed
6.4 Law of conservation
of energy gain in KE
for free-falling body = loss in PE
rate of energy transfer W
6.5 Power P=
t

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 The
The End
End

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