Trexman89 said:Work is equal to a force applied over a net distance (aka displacement) . Net distance is the difference between your starting and ending point. So if you push a box from point A to point B, and then push it back from point B to point A, no work will be done.
The concept of "opposing forces but opposite travel = no work" is a fundamental principle in physics known as the Law of Conservation of Energy. This law states that when two equal and opposite forces act on an object, the object will experience a displacement, but no work will be done on the object.
This principle can be seen in many real-life situations, such as when a person walks on a flat surface. The person's feet apply a force on the ground in one direction, while the ground applies an equal and opposite force on the person's feet in the opposite direction. This results in the person moving forward without any work being done on them.
No, the Law of Conservation of Energy is a fundamental law of physics and cannot be violated or broken. It has been extensively tested and proven to hold true in all situations.
Other examples include a pendulum swinging back and forth, a car driving on a level road, or a satellite orbiting around the Earth. In all of these situations, opposing forces are present, but no work is being done on the object.
The Law of Conservation of Energy is closely related to the concepts of potential and kinetic energy. When an object is at rest, it has potential energy, which is converted into kinetic energy as the object moves due to opposing forces. However, even with this conversion of energy, the total amount of energy remains constant, as stated by the law.