A particle is moved from point X to point Y under an unknown force. The measured work is 18 J along Path 1 and 18 J along Path 2. When the particle is taken once around the closed loop XYX, the measured work is +6 J. What can you conclude about the nature of this force?
a) The force is conservative because the work between X and Y is the same along both paths.
b) No definite conclusion can be drawn; the given data are contradictory.
c) The force is non-conservative because the work done around the closed loop is not zero.
d) The force has both conservative and non-conservative components since the path work is equal but the loop work is not zero.