WORK

Problem No. 1

A 300-g object slides 80 cm along a horizontal tabletop. How much work is

done in overcoming friction between the object and the table if the coefficient of
kinetic friction is 0.20?

300g

80 cm

Solution:

➢ We first find the friction force. Since the normal force equals the weight of
the object

𝐹𝑓 = 𝜇𝑘 𝐹𝑁 = (0.2)(0.300𝑘𝑔)(9.81 𝑚 / 𝑠²) = 0.588𝑁

The work done overcoming friction is 𝐹𝑓 𝑠 cos 𝜃. Because the friction force
is opposite in direction to the displacement 𝜃 =180°. Therefore,

𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑘 = 𝐹𝑓 𝑠 cos 180° = (0.588𝑁)(0.80𝑚)(− 1) = − 𝟎. 𝟒𝟕𝑱

The work is negative because the friction force slows the object; it
decreases the object's kinetic energy

Problem No. 2

How much work is done against gravity in lifting a 3.0-kg object through a
vertical distance of 40 cm?
 40 cm

Solution:

➢ An external force is needed to lift an object. It the object is lifted at

constant speed, the lifting force must equal the weight of the object. The
work done by the lifting force is what we refer to as work done against
gravity. Because the lifting force is mg, where m is the mass of the object,
we have
𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑘 = (𝑚𝑔)(ℎ)(cos 𝜃) = (3.0 𝑘𝑔 × 9. 81 𝑁)(0.40 𝑚)(1) = 𝟏𝟐 𝑱

In general, the work done against gravity in lifting an object of mass m

through a vertical distance h is mgh.

Problem No. 3

How much work is done on an object by the force that supports it as the
object is lowered through a vertical distance h? How much work does the
gravitational force on it do in this same process?
 𝐹𝑆

𝐹𝑊 h

Solution:

➢ The supporting force is mg, where m is the mass of the object. It is

directed upward while the displacement is downward. Hence the work it
does is

𝐹𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = (𝑚𝑔)(ℎ)(𝑐𝑜𝑠 180°) = 𝑚𝑔ℎ

The force of gravity acting on the object is also mg, but it is directed
downward in the same direction as the displacement. The work done on
the object by the force of gravity is therefore

𝐹𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = (𝑚𝑔)(ℎ)(𝑐𝑜𝑠 0°) = 𝑚𝑔ℎ