• The efficiency of a system is a measure of how well energy is transferred in a system
• Efficiency is defined as?the ratio of the useful power output from a system to its total power input
  • If a system has?high?efficiency, this means most of the energy transferred is?useful
  • If a system has?low?efficiency, this means most of the energy transferred is?wasted

   

• What type of energy is useful or wasted depends on the system
  • When electrical energy is converted to light in a lightbulb, the light energy is?useful?and the heat energy produced is?wasted
  • When electrical energy is converted to heat for a heater, the heat energy is?useful?and the sound energy produced is?wasted

   

• Efficiency is represented as a percentage, and can be calculated using the equation:

• Where power is defined as the energy transferred per unit of time

• The efficiency equation can also be written in terms of energy:

• The energy can be of any form e.g. gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy

Step 1: Write down the efficiency equation

Step 2: Rearrange for the power input??

Step 3: Calculate the power out

• • The power output is the energy ÷ time
  • The electric motor transferred electric energy into gravitational potential energy to lift the load

   

Gravitational potential energy = mgh = 7.2 × 9.81 × 5 = 353.16 J

Power = 353.16 ÷ 3 = 117.72 W

Step 4: Substitute values into power input equation?