What is Work done: Definition and 1000 Discussions

In physics, work is the energy transferred to or from an object via the application of force along a displacement. In its simplest form, it is often represented as the product of force and displacement. A force is said to do positive work if (when applied) it has a component in the direction of the displacement of the point of application. A force does negative work if it has a component opposite to the direction of the displacement at the point of application of the force.
For example, when a ball is held above the ground and then dropped, the work done by the gravitational force on the ball as it falls is equal to the weight of the ball (a force) multiplied by the distance to the ground (a displacement). When the force F is constant and the angle between the force and the displacement s is θ, then the work done is given by:




W
=
F
s
cos


θ



{\displaystyle W=Fs\cos {\theta }}
Work is a scalar quantity, so it has only magnitude and no direction. Work transfers energy from one place to another, or one form to another. The SI unit of work is the joule (J), the same unit as for energy.

View More On Wikipedia.org
  1. M

    Find the total work done on an object on a ramp if the force is at an angle?

    Homework Statement A box is dragged 16 m across a level floor by a 75N force at an angle of 35 degrees to the floor . It is then dragged by the same force 8m up a ramp inclined at an angle of 20 degrees to the floor. Determine the total work done by the force. Homework Equations W= F(d)Cosθ...
  2. B

    Work done by friction on a variable slope

    Hello, I'm trying to figure out a method of calculating the work done by friction on an object sliding down a surface with a variable slope, assuming an equation can be determined to fit the line along which the object travels and we have a known coefficient of friction for the surface...
  3. P

    Work done lifting cable against gravity

    Homework Statement A cable weighing 2 pounds per foot of length (and so having a mass of 2 pounds per foot) is suspended from the top of a well 200 feet deep and extends to the bottom. Find the work done in raising the cable to the surface. Over the distance of 200 feet you may use 32m as the...
  4. P

    Work Done going up an incline:

    I read in my book that when we are calculating the amount of work done by a man to go up a flight of stairs we use as force his weight and the distance, the vertical displacement. Then, looking at this website http://www.physicsclassroom.com/mmedia/energy/au.cfm they illustrate a car going...
  5. D

    Thermodynamics - Work done per unit mass

    Homework Statement A sample of dry air has initial pressure p1 = 1000 hPa and temperature T1 = 300k. It undergoes a process that takes it to a new pressure p2 = 500 hPa with unchanged temperature T2 = T1. Compute the mechanical work per unit mass performed by the sample under the following...
  6. M

    Finding the work done using force vectors in 3 dimensions

    Homework Statement Find the work done by a force of 3 Newtons acting in the direction 2i + j + 2k in moving an object 2 meters from (0, 0, 0) to (0, 2, 0). Homework Equations Commonly known vector operations. The Attempt at a Solution I found the displacement vector to be 2j...
  7. J

    Find Work Done with Increasing Tension of a Wire

    Homework Statement Let a wire's tension increase quasi-statically from F_{1}\rightarrowF_{2}, with Young's Modulus Y, Cross-sectional Area A, and Length L. Find the work done Homework Equations F=\frac{YA}{L} *Delta L, tex having issues W= Integral from L to L_2 The Attempt at a...
  8. N

    How Is Work Calculated When Moving a Charge Near a Conducting Shell?

    Homework Statement Find the work done to move a test charge with charge q from the origin to the edge of a spherical conducting shell which surrounds it, also of charge q. (Shell is of radius R). Homework Equations W = int(F.ds) where W = work done, F = force The Attempt at...
  9. T

    Calculate Work of Expansion in Chemical Reaction | 100 cm2 Container

    Homework Statement A chemical reaction takes place in a container of cross-sectional area 100 cm2. The container has a loosely fitting piston at one end. As a result of the reaction, then piston is pushed out by 10 cm against an external pressure of 101.3 kPa. Calculate the work of expansion...
  10. T

    Work done in an accelerating frame.

    Homework Statement A man of weight W is in an elevator. The elevator accelerates vertically up at a rate a and at a certain instant has a speed V. The man then climbs a vertical ladder within the elevator at a speed v relative to the elevator. What is the man's rate of expenditure of energy...
  11. E

    Work done by the gravitational force

    Hi there! I'd like to calculate the work done by the gravitational force. I know the work is defined by the integration of a 1-form: L=\int_\gamma \omega where \omega=F_xdx+F_ydy+F_zdz This works fine in cartesian coordinates and I know how to integrate it, but what if I want to use spherical...
  12. J

    Work done by steam-Thermo question

    Homework Statement A mass of 5kg of saturated water vapor at 300kPa is heated at constant pressure until the temperature reaches 200*C. Calculate the work done by the steam during this process. Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution
  13. R

    Capacitors - energy stored vs work done

    this isn't homework, I am doing revision for an exam :) a 180 microfarad capacitor is charged so that is has a PD of 100v across the plates. i calculate the energy stored as 0.5cv² = 0.9J the question then asks me to calculate the work done by the battery in charging the capacitor. the mark...
  14. F

    Work done by air in piston with temperature change

    Homework Statement Two pounds of air contained in a cylinder expand without friction against a piston. The pressure on the back side of the piston is constant at 200 psia. The air initially occupies a volume of 0.5 ft3. What is the work done by the air in ft-lbf if the expansion continues until...
  15. C

    Calculating Work Done in Moving Multiple Charges in a Cube Configuration

    The question is like this: 8 charges of magnitude q and different sighs are placed at corners of a cube of side a. Find the work done in taking them far away from each other. Homework Equations U = kq1q2/r W = ΔU The Attempt at a Solution First i found out the potential energy...
  16. Z

    Work done by frictional forces

    Homework Statement A disc of mass m slides with zero initial velocity down an inclined plane set at an angle alpha to the horizontal; having traversed the distance l along the horizontal plane, the disc stops. Find the work performed by the friction forces over the whole distance, assuming the...
  17. P

    Work Done and Force and Newtons Third Law of Motion

    When a car is moving, the engine is transferring Chemical Energy to Kinetic Energy. He is doing work against the force of friction. If the force of friction is 210 N and the engine exerts a pull force for 10 M it transferred 2100J of Chemical Energy from its fuel to Kinetic Energy, considering...
  18. P

    Understanding Work and Energy Transfer in Everyday Examples

    I have a hard time understanding this concept: Work done is an energy transfer, for example: When I raise a book to a tall shelf, I am doing work against gravity. Energy is being transferred from Chemical Energy in my muscles to gravitational potential energy to the book. Right? In addition to...
  19. N

    Understanding Work and Energy Transfer in Adiabatic Systems

    Hello! I'm not sure if this should be in the physics section or chemistry, but I think it's covered in both. I apologise if this has been asked numerous times before! I am interested in the following adiabatic system, I think it counts as an isolated system: Here is my attempt to...
  20. W

    Work done by a non-reversible heat engine

    Hello. I have a question about a theoretical heat engine I recently encountered in my coursework: The setup is two chambers, one with more moles of a gas than the other, separated by a heat-conducting barrier. The right chamber has a small piston attached to it and is at a lower temperature...
  21. I

    Work Done by Friction Force: A 4.0 kg Block

    A 4.0 kg block is dragged over a rough horizontal surface by a constant force of 20 N. The speed of the block increases from 3.0 m/s to 5.0 m/s in a displacement of 5.0 m. What is the magnitude of the work done by the friction force during this displacement? My work was the following: Ei...
  22. T

    How Does Force Direction Affect Work Done?

    A force of F = 35 N is used to drag a crate 7 m across a floor. The force is directed at an angle upward from the crate so that the vertical component of the force is Fv = 21 N and the horizontal component is Fh = 28 N as shown in the diagram. (a) What is the work done by the horizontal...
  23. J

    Calculating Work Done by a 2-D Force

    "Work Done by 2-D Force" What work is done by a force = ((1 N/m)x) + (4 N), with x in meters, that moves a particle from a position 1 = (2 m) + (3 m) to a position 2 = - (4 m) - (3 m)? I figured all I would have to do is find the displacement of the x and y coordinates after the force had...
  24. D

    Linear thermal expansion and work done

    Homework Statement Hello all, I need to find the change in internal energy (delta U) and work done (W) by an aluminum rod (from the expansion) as it is heated from 20C to 100C. Initial Length = 2m I found delta length = .00384m diameter = .01m radius = .005m...
  25. Z

    Work done in rotating a current carrying loop

    Homework Statement The arrangement is as shown in the figure. Find the work done to increase the spacing between the wire and the loop from a to 2a. The Attempt at a Solution I calculated the potential energies in initial and final configurations using U=-M.B (all vectors) I got...
  26. Jadaav

    When calculating the amount of work done, using the force applied and

    When calculating the amount of work done, using the force applied and the displacement, does the weight of the object do anything ?
  27. S

    Calculate the work done by the kinetic frictional force

    Homework Statement I have a few questions I need help with on my assignment. I cannot wrap my head around this work and energy chapter. Anyway here it is; A 62.7-kg skier coasts up a snow-covered hill that makes an angle of 25.2° with the horizontal. The initial speed of the skier is...
  28. F

    Calculating Work Done on an Accelerating Box

    Homework Statement A box of mass 6.0kg is accelerated from rest by a force across the floor at a rate of 2.0m/s for 7.0s. Find the net work done on the box. Homework Equations Work done = Force x distance The Attempt at a Solution F = ma F = 6 x 2 = 12N i solved for final...
  29. A

    Work done by force on a non-linear track.

    We have a force which changes according to what point you're at, e.g: f=(4x²,3z-2y,2z), we need to calculate the work done by this force from point (0,0,0) to (2,1,3) on different curves I don't want an answer I just want an explanation for how this is done, this is what I understand so far...
  30. V

    How Is Work Calculated for Masses on a Stretched Spring?

    Hi :D 1) Two equal masses (let a and b) are attached to the ends of a spring of spring constant k. The masses are pulled out symmetrically to stretch the spring by a length x over its natural length. The work done by the spring force on each mass is : (a)1/2kx2 (b)-1/2kx2 (C) 1/4kx2 (d) -1/4kx2...
  31. Z

    Work Done in moving the plates of a Capacitor

    Homework Statement Consider a parallel plate capacitor connected to a battery. You move the plates closer to each other. Will you do positive or negative work? The Attempt at a Solution As the plates are moved closer to each other, capacitance increases which increases the stored energy (V...
  32. A

    Solving a Physics Problem: Net Work Done on a Box

    Homework Statement a box of mass 5.0 kg is accelerated from rest across a floor at a rate of 2.0m/s^2 for 7.0s. find the net work done on the box. Homework Equations f = ma w= fdcostheta The Attempt at a Solution f = ma f=10 w = fdcostheta w=10d w=10*v*t w=10*v*7...
  33. F

    Work done by Friction on an Inclined Plane

    Homework Statement A luggage handler pulls a suitcase of mass 17.1 kg up a ramp inclined at an angle 24.0 above the horizontal by a force of magnitude 146 N that acts parallel to the ramp. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the ramp and the incline is 0.257. The suitcase travels a...
  34. M

    How Do You Integrate Work with a Changing Angle Theta?

    here is the problem. w= f*d*cos(theta). theta is changing so it involves integration. i know the answer its about 52. i know one solution for it but i have been trying to figure out how to solve it integrating with respect to theta. the way i know to solve it is let cos(theta)= x /...
  35. M

    Understanding Work in Falling Bodies: Gravity, Energy, and Convention

    When a body falls from a height (h) under gravity,the work involved is mgh. How do you describe this work? Is it 'work done by the force (gravity) on the body' or 'work done by the body'. The confusion is, if work is done on the body the body gains energy; but if work is done by the body the...
  36. M

    Calculating Net Work Done on a Man in a Wheelchair Climbing a Slope

    Homework Statement A man in a wheel chair is being pushed up a slope, for a distance of 10 metres. He is moving at a constant velocity. What is the net work done when he reaches the top of the slope? Homework Equations W = FX The Attempt at a Solution I just seem to have...
  37. N

    Calculate angle for least work done

    Homework Statement A man wishes to pull a crate 15 m across a rough floor by exerting a force of 100 N. The coefficient of kinetic friction is 0.25. For the man to do the least work, the angle between the force and the horizontal should be: 0 14 43 66 76 Homework Equations...
  38. F

    Calculating Force to Lift Cuboidal Object in Water: 1.1 Kg

    I have a cuboidal object of dimensions 15cm x 7cm x 10cm. Its volume is 1050 cm3 Since density of water, is 1g cm-3, the object will have to weigh 1.05 Kg to sink. Assuming it sinks to the bottom and weighs 1.1Kg, and has to be lifted by 4, electric DC Motors. Will the motors have to...
  39. S

    Conservation of Energy, Work done on a System by an External Force

    A 1.6 kg breadbox on a frictionless incline of angle θ = 36° is connected, by a cord that runs over a pulley, to a light spring of spring constant k = 120 N/m, as shown in the figure below. The box is released from rest when the spring is unstrectched. Assume that the pulley is massless and...
  40. M

    How Much Work Does It Take to Fire a 2kg Projectile at 50m/s?

    Homework Statement Determine the amount of work done in firing a 2.0-kg projectile with an initial speed of 50 m/s. Neglect any effects due to air resistance Homework Equations W = delta K K = 1/2mv^2 The Attempt at a Solution just take K= 1/2(2)(50)^2 to get 2500...it seems...
  41. H

    Work Done on a system by an external force

    Homework Statement A worker pushed a 26kg block 13m across a level floor at a constant speed, with a force directed 40 degrees below the horizontal. If the coefficient of kinetic friction between the block and floor is 0.40, what were a.) the work done by the workers force? and b.) the...
  42. Z

    Finding work done by force of friction

    Homework Statement A 4.0-kg block is lowered down a 37° incline a distance of 5.0 m from point A to point B. A horizontal force (F = 10 N) is applied to the block between A and B as shown in the figure. The kinetic energy of the block at A is 10 J and at B it is 20 J. How much work is done on...
  43. A

    How much work is done by the engine to get the car up the hill?

    Homework Statement Hi I have a slight problem. Please comment on the question and solution. A car of mass 2 Tonnes arrives at a foot of a hill, traveling at a speed of 10m/s and reaches the top of the hill with a speed of 5m/s. The hill is 500m long and rises 1 in 125. If there is...
  44. A

    Calculate work done on an object

    Homework Statement A force F = (4.37xi + 3.01yj) N acts on an object as it moves in the x direction from the origin to x = 5.06 m. Calculate the work done on the object by the force. Homework Equations dot product The Attempt at a Solution i took the dot product, FxDx+FyDy since there is...
  45. X

    How Much Work Is Done on a Mass by a Time-Varying Force?

    Homework Statement A time-varying horizontal force is given by, F(t) = (1.00 t + 0.250 t^2) Newtons The force is applied from 0 to 5.00 seconds on a 10.0 kg mass which is initially at rest but is allowed to slide freely with only this one horizontal force acting on it. How much work is...
  46. J

    Work done on block by spring and friction

    Homework Statement In the system shown in the figure, suppose the block has a mass of 2.7 kg, the spring has a force constant of 480 N/m, and the coefficient of kinetic friction between the block and the floor is 0.18. Find the work done on the block by the spring and by friction as the...
  47. W

    Could someone please explain to me the integral used to compute work done?

    I know the integral to compute work done is (integral from a to b) F * dl where F and l are vectors, but I don't understand how I would use that in a problem. 1. Are a and b moments in time? 2. What is dl? Is that the same thing as l2-l1? So would it be (integral from a to b)...
  48. O

    Find work done on an ideal gas and a copper block.

    1. Homework Statement An Ideal gas and a block of copper have equal volumes V and at the same temperature T and atmosphere pressure P. The pressure on both substances is increased reversibly and isothermally to 5P. a) Find the work done on the ideal gas if V = 0.5 m and T= 300 K P =...
  49. O

    Need help with finding the work done on an ideal gas and copper block

    Homework Statement An Ideal gas and a block of copper have equal volumes V and at the same temperature T and atmosphere pressure P. The pressure on both substances is increased reversibly and isothermally to 5P. a) Find the work done on the ideal gas if V = 0.5 m and T= 300 K P =...
  50. T

    Calculating the Work Done by Normal Force on a Sliding Piano

    A 330-kg piano slides 3.6 m down a 28º incline and is kept from accelerating by a man who is pushing back on it parallel to the incline. The effective coefficient of kinetic friction is 0.40 what is the work done by the normal force? If someone could let know how to find FN, would it...
Back
Top