Conservation of Energy
Part of the Mechanics section of Coddy's Physics journey. Lesson 54 of 97.
When only gravity does work, the mechanical energy, KE + PE, stays the same:
The car starts at rest at A; the track has no friction.
Going down, PE turns into KE; going up, KE turns back into PE. The total is the same at every point, and the mass cancels.
Energy bars for a car: the total is at every point.
Challenge
A skateboarder rolls at at the bottom of a smooth ramp and coasts up it until she stops. The picture shows her twice: at the bottom and where she stops. Draw the forces on her where she stops for an instant, then find the height she reaches.
Try it yourself
Solve for
This lesson includes a short quiz. Start the lesson to answer it and track your progress.
All lessons in Mechanics
4Inclined Planes
Forces on an InclineGravity ComponentsFrictionless InclineIncline with FrictionWill It Slide?Recap - Ramp Challenge7Projectile Motion
Independent AxesHorizontal LaunchLaunch at an AngleRange and Max HeightRecap - Hit the Target10Work and Energy
WorkKinetic EnergyWork-Energy TheoremGravitational PEConservation of EnergyPowerRecap - Roller Coaster13Impulse and Momentum
MomentumImpulseConservation of MomentumElastic CollisionsInelastic CollisionsRecap - Air Track16Simple Harmonic Motion
What is SHM?Mass on a SpringThe PendulumSHM GraphsEnergy in SHMRecap - Oscillator2Vectors and Newton's Laws
Right TrianglesWhat is a Vector?Adding VectorsAxes and DirectionsVector ComponentsForces Around UsFriction and TensionNewton's First LawNewton's Second LawNewton's Third LawRecap - Net Force