AP Physics 1 : Conservation of Energy

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Physics 1

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Example Questions

Example Question #51 : Conservation Of Energy

A horizontal spring is oscillating with a mass sliding on a perfectly frictionless surface. If the amplitude of the oscillation is  and the mass has a value of  and a maximum velocity of , determine the spring constant.

Possible Answers:

None of these

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Using conservation of energy:

While at the maximum value of stretch (the amplitude), the velocity will be zero. While at the maximum velocity, the stretch will be zero.

Plugging in values:

Solving for 

Example Question #52 : Conservation Of Energy

A man throws a pizza  in the air. If he released it at a height of , determine the velocity when he released it.

Possible Answers:

None of these

Correct answer:

Explanation:

At the maximum height, velocity is zero.

Solving for 

Plugging in values

Example Question #53 : Conservation Of Energy

A man throws a  pizza  in the air. If he released it at a height of , and his throwing motion was a distance of directly up, determine the work done by the man during the throwing motion.

Possible Answers:

None of these

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Based on the information given, his throw would have started at above the ground. The pizza gained a maximum height of . Thus, the gravitational potential energy in relation to the starting position will be:

Since at it's maximum height, all of the energy will be gravitational, the work done on the pizza will be equal to the potential energy, thus:

Example Question #54 : Conservation Of Energy

Jennifer throws a perfectly elastic bouncy ball against the ground. It leaves her hand  above the ground and bounces to a height of . How fast was the ball traveling when it left her hand?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Conservation of energy:

Solving for 

Plugging in values:

Example Question #51 : Conservation Of Energy

A  ball is dropped from a height of  to the ground, at which point it hits a spring and compresses the spring to a distance of. Assume that all gravitational energy on the block is transferred to the spring, that all other forces are negligible, and that . What is the magnitude of the spring constant for the spring?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

This question tests your understanding of conservation of energy, gravitational potential energy, and energy of spring compression. In this question, a  ball is dropped from an initial height of  from the ground, and then at the level of the ground, it contacts and compresses a spring, with all gravitational potential energy being transferred to the spring. You are then asked to calculate the spring constant. Because we are told that all gravitational potential energy is transferred to compressing the spring, we can set the gravitational potential energy equal to the spring compression energy, and solve for the spring constant as follows:

Next, we must isolate .

 

Therefore, the spring constant is .

Example Question #56 : Conservation Of Energy

A  ball is dropped from the top of a  cliff and falls to the ground, where it stops. What was the ball's final speed as it hit the ground? Assume that no energy is lost to drag forces, and that .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

This question tests your understanding of the concept of conservation of energy (energy can neither be created nor destroyed). In this example, initially all of the ball's energy is potential energy, as it is immobile at a height of  prior to being dropped. At the ball hits the ground, its energy is entirely transformed to kinetic energy. Thus, since we are assuming that no energy is lost to drag forces, the initial potential energy of the ball is equal to the final kinetic energy of the ball. We can solve for the ball's velocity as follows:

Potential Energy (initial) = Kinetic Energy (final)

Isolate the velocity term and solve.

Thus, the speed of the ball as it hits the ground is

Example Question #57 : Conservation Of Energy

A  toy car is sent down a frictionless ramp from a height of . At the bottom of the ramp, at a maximal speed of , it enters a frictionless loop, with a uniform radius of . What is the speed of the car when it is  high off the ground while on the loop? Assume that .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

This question tests your understanding of the concept of conservation of energy (energy can neither be created nor destroyed), and likewise of transitions between gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy. In this case, the  toy car starts with a potential energy of , since. Thus, as this is the maximal height of the car, and no forces other than gravity are acting on the car,  represents the maximal potential energy of the car.

We are then told that the car enters a loop with a radius of , indicating that the maximal height of the loop is also , and therefore, since no energy is lost to friction, the maximal potential energy of the car will still be at the peak of the ramp. We are explicitly asked to find the speed of the car when it is  off of the ground, on the loop.

There are a number of correct ways to calculate the speed of the car at this point. We will use the conservation of energy formula as follows:

Thus, the speed of the car at a height of  off of the ground on the loop is .

Example Question #51 : Conservation Of Energy

A  block is placed directly on a spring and compresses the spring to a distance of . Assume that all gravitational energy on the block is transferred to the spring, that all other forces are negligible, and that . What is the magnitude of the spring constant for the spring?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

This problem tests your knowledge of conservation of energy, gravitational force, and spring force. First, we begin with a  block that is placed directly on a spring. We are then told that all of the gravitational energy on the block is transferred to the spring. Therefore, we can set the gravitational force on the block equal to the spring compression force as follows:

Next, we must isolate .

, and we can eliminate the negative sign since the question asks for the magnitude of the spring constant

Therefore, the spring constant is .

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