Revisiting work–energy theorem's implications

Abstract

The Galilean invariance of work–energy theorem, at an elementary mechanics level, has not been deeply discussed in the past, nor have its implications in connection with other fundamental mechanical laws been investigated. In this paper we give some further insight into the work–energy theorem, showing that its Galilean invariance implies the impulse theorem. We also introduce a formalism to determine temporal details of motion only by means of energetic considerations. Applications of the formalism are also presented, which are interesting both for graduates and for university undergraduates.