Unit 3 - Energy

Potential Energy and Mechanical Energy

You should know how to:

• Relate gravitational potential energy to work to be done by gravity
• Relate potential energy to the amount of work that can be done
• Define mechanical energy as the sum of kinetic and potential energy
• Show that mechanical energy is conserved when friction is not present
• Solve for velocity using mechanical energy conservation
• Show that paths of motion from the same vertical height result in the same final velocity

Video Resources for Gravitational Potential Energy and Mechanical Energy:

Sample problems from Pearson Physics:

Page 221, problems 82, 83, 86, 88, 89, 97, 106, 121, 141