Physics
Physics
Problem
A crate is pulled along a straight horizontal floor by a constant 50 N force that acts at an angle of above the horizontal. The crate moves 4 m horizontally in the forward direction. Calculate the work done by the 50 N force. a) b) c) d)Intuitive explanation
Work measures how much a force actually contributes to motion in a particular direction—only the component of force parallel to the displacement matters. Here, you'll need to find the horizontal part of the 50 N force using the angle, then multiply by the distance traveled. The key insight is that the vertical component does no work on horizontal motion, so focus only on what pushes the crate forward.
Intuitive explanation
Work measures how much a force actually contributes to motion in a particular direction—only the component of force parallel to the displacement matters. Here, you'll need to find the horizontal part of the 50 N force using the angle, then multiply by the distance traveled. The key insight is that the vertical component does no work on horizontal motion, so focus only on what pushes the crate forward.