Work through the list without notes. If you cannot do a statement, follow its link, then come back. Guide = study guide; Practice = practice questions.
Understanding
- I can describe work as energy transferred into or out of a system by a force exerted over a distance. (Guide: “Work is an energy transfer”)
- I can explain why a force perpendicular to the motion does no work but can still change the direction of motion. (Guide: sign table; Practice Q5)
- I can tell a conservative force from a nonconservative one, and explain why gravity’s work does not depend on the path. (Guide: “Conservative and nonconservative forces”; Practice Q3)
- I can explain where the energy removed by friction goes, without calculating thermal energy. (Guide: “Where friction’s energy goes”)
Calculation
- I can calculate the work done by a constant force at an angle using W = Fd cos θ. (Guide: Figure 1; Practice Q1)
- I can find the work done by each force on an object and add them to get the net work. (Guide: Worked example 1; Practice Q2)
- I can use the work-energy theorem, ΔK = W_net, to find a final speed. (Guide: Worked example 1; Practice Q4)
- I can find work from the area under a force–position graph, counting area below the axis as negative. (Guide: Figure 2, Worked example 2; Practice Q4)
- I can calculate the energy dissipated by friction using the path length, not the displacement. (Practice Q5)
Reasoning and experiments
- I can predict how stopping distance changes when the initial speed changes. (Guide: Worked example 3)
- I can design an experiment to test the work-energy theorem and use a v²–d graph to analyse it. (Practice Q6)
- I can explain why a wall does no work on a person who pushes off it, and when a system can be modelled as an object. (Guide: “Where the force acts”; Practice Q7)
All ticked? Move on to Topic 3.3, Potential Energy, or return to the course roadmap.