Mechanical Energy
Part 2: Work, Power
Table of Contents
Work
Work is "Total Energy" used to do a task
Work (J) = Total Energy (J)
Therefore:
Work (J) = Force (N) x distance (m)
Thus
Total Energy (J) = Force (N) x distance (m)
When we work out, we are 'burning' our energy. In other words, we convert stored energy from our fat, blood sugar, and glycogen reserves.
This stored energy can be called "Chemical Potential Energy". We 'burn' and transform this energy into Kinetic Energy in the gym.
We are changing the energy. So we can use the delta sign "Δ" for change in energy.
As symbols:
W = ΔE
Because Work(J) and Change in Energy (J) are the same thing, we can rewrite the work formula as a change in energy formula:
Change in Energy (J) = Force (N) x distance (m)
ΔE = F x d
When you mow the lawns, you do work
The longer the grass is the more work you have to do
The muddier the ground, the more force you have to push with to move the lawnmower, and the more work you do
The bigger the lawn, the more work you do
These are the two big things with work. How much force you have to apply, and how far you have to go
So work is Force applied across a distance
Work = Force times Distance
Work is measured in Joules
Force in Newtons
Distance in Meters
W = F d
Another way of looking at this is as energy
Work = Total Energy
So the bigger the lawns you have to mow, the more energy you will use
The more energy you will transform
The more energy you will 'burn'
The more food you will want to eat afterwards
More work = more energy
Less work = less energy
The gym is all about Work
A Work-out is to use Energy
To use Energy to apply a force over a distance
For a fixed amount of energy, you can either apply a small force over a long distance, like cardio. Or a massive force over a short distance, like the bench press
Here, Strongman champion Eddie Hall is bench-pressing 265kg over 50cm with 6 repetitions. Thus a total distance of 6 meters (down and up)
So, how much work did he do?
Work out how much force he is applying
Weight Force = Mass x Gravity
2650N = 265kg x 10
Work = Force x distance
2650N x 6m = 15,900 Joules
So Eddie 'burns' 16KJ in just 17 seconds
His power? He is a "Power"-lifter after all.
I'll explain more in the next section, but:
P=W/t
Power = Work / time
15900J/17 = 936Watts
So he is burning through almost a thousand joules per second
Questions From SciPad
Answers
Power
Power is how quickly you can do work
The more powerful you are, the faster you can do the work
How long would it take to mow your lawn with one of the lawnmowers in the clip to the right?
To be powerful, you have to be able to do the work faster. If the Rock, Dwaine Johnson and I were to lift 4 20kg weight plates across the room, I would carry each individually, and he would carry them all at once. So it would take me four times longer. So, the Rock is at least 4 times more powerful than I am
In the 'Hammock Run" clip, I am doing the same as I was in the "Hammock Walk" clip, the same amount of work, but in far shorter time. So I am more powerful in the Hammock Run than I was in the Walk
So, Work and Time are the important factors when it comes to the Power
You are more Powerful if you can do the Work in less time
Power is thus Work divided by time
Power = Work / Time
P = W/t
Power is measured in what? Watts
Work is measured in Joules
Time is in seconds (as it always is in Science, Science Seconds)
So
Watts = Joules / second
Watts = Joules per second
So your 1000Watt Gaming PC will use up to 1000 Joules per second when it is pushing it
Your 20Watt light bulb will only transform 20 joules of electrical energy into heat and light energy per second.
In the bench press example, Eddie Hall will transform 935 Joules of his chemical potential energy into Kinetic Energy per second of bench press.
My Holden Commodore 2017 SV6 II car is rated at 280HP or 210kW. At its maximum push, it will transform 210,000 Joules of petrol's chemical potential energy into kinetic energy per second.
Work is the Energy used. It can also be show as total Change in Energy in the system
So you could replace work with Delta Energy ΔE
P = ΔE / t
Watts = Joules / second
Watts = Joules per second
Total Energy
As explained above, because Work(J) and Change in Energy (J) are the same thing, we can also apply this to the power calculations
Power = Work / Time
P = W/t
P = ΔE / t
Thus we can rearrange Power to calculate Total Energy
ΔE = P x t
Lets take a 700Watt toaster. P = IV
Every second it will transform 700 Joules of electrical energy into heat and light energy.
But it won't toast your bread in one second. So it needs to run for several seconds
Lets take a cyclist.
He can transform 700 Joules of chemical potential energy at his maximum push into Kinetic energy. P = W/t
Notice we have two formulas for power
Electrical power: P = IV
Mechanical Power: P = W/t
This is because they are just how much energy is transformed per second. 1 watt is the energy required to move 6 quintillion electrons with 1 Volt. 1watt is also the amount of energy required to move 100 grams by 1 meter.
Energy is interchangeable. So you can use electrical power to get mechanical power, like spinning the fan in your PC. Or to drive an electric car. Likewise, you can use mechanical power to get electrical power. Like this spinning of wind turbines to generate electricity, or the spinning of turbines in a hydroelectric dam
So
Electrical power = Mechanical Power
But not exactly, due to some energy lost as thermal energy
So, what if you took an Olymipic cyclist that can transform 700 Watts Chemical potential energy into kinetic energy. And put him onto an exercycle that contains a kinetic generator that transforms this 700 Watts kinetic energy into electrical energy. And then connect this to a toaster that transforms this 700 Watts into heat (and light) energy.
Then you could toast your bread?
He can keep his average Power to roughly 700 Watts for 63 seconds.
It is annoying that they didn't put another piece of bread in the other slot, as it wouldn't have used any more energy.
Anyway, how much Energy was needed to toast that piece of bread?
ΔE = P x t
ΔE = 700W x 63s
ΔE = 44,100 Joules
How much work did the cyclist do?
W = Pxt
W = 700W x 63s
W = 44,100 Joules
ΔE = W
So, it takes 44 Kilojoules to toast a piece of bread.
And he 'burnt' 44 KJ of his body's energy.
As a side note, if he eats that toast, he will gain 380 KJ of Chemical Potential Energy stored in the bread.
An extra geeky side note: The ingredients from bread are from the food chain, and the sun is the basis of all energy for all foodchains, so 380KJ of the sun's energy is in that piece of bread. Thus, the sun's energy powers him (and us).
Another side note:
Eddie's benchpress: 936 Watts, 17 seconds, 15900 Joules total
Robert's cycling: 700 Watts, 63 seconds, 44100 Joules
Why is there this difference? What does this say about these muscle groups? And why did cyclists replace grinders on the Team New Zealand Yacht?