Comparing Effort and Work: Lift/Push 1kg and 2kgs, Distance of 1 vs 2 Meters

  • Context: High School 
  • Thread starter Thread starter tydychic
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Work
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

This discussion centers on the distinction between effort and work in physics, specifically in the context of lifting/pushing weights. The participant conducted an experiment using biology books to compare the effort required to lift/push 1kg versus 2kg over distances of 1 meter and 2 meters. The conclusion drawn is that while lifting double the mass requires significantly more effort, increasing the distance does not yield a proportional increase in effort. The conversation highlights that work, defined as force multiplied by distance, does not equate to the subjective experience of effort, which is influenced by factors such as muscle fatigue and caloric expenditure.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physics concepts, specifically work and force.
  • Familiarity with the definitions of work and effort in a physical context.
  • Knowledge of the relationship between mass, distance, and effort in physical tasks.
  • Basic understanding of caloric expenditure related to physical activities.
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the concept of work in physics, specifically the formula Work = Force x Distance.
  • Explore the physiological aspects of effort and how it relates to muscle fatigue and caloric burn.
  • Investigate the differences between everyday definitions of work and scientific definitions.
  • Conduct experiments comparing effort and work using varying weights and distances to deepen understanding.
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for physics students, educators, and anyone interested in the practical applications of physical concepts in everyday tasks, particularly in understanding the nuances between effort and work.

tydychic
Messages
24
Reaction score
0
So, I want to understand the difference between effort and work applied to this situation:

A) Lift/push 1kg a distance of one meter, repeat with 2kgs. How much more effort does it take to lift/push 2kgs instead of 1kg?

B) Lift/push 1kg a distance of one meter, repeat with a distance of two meters. How much more effort does it take to lift/push 1kg two meters instead of one?

C) If work is defined as "effort," how would you say work depends on the force applied and on the distance moved.

Currently, I say A) about the same, B) double, C) dependent on distance.
Verdict? Right, wrong?

Thank you!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
*Update: okay, so I went and performed this experiment with a couple of biology books. It turns out that double the mass, same distance, took a lot more effort than the same mass double the distance. So, I'm thinking that if work is defined as effort, it would be dependent on force more than displacement. However, this isn't quite what the book says. So, now I'm a bit confused as to how effort and work correlate to each other.
 
tydychic said:
So, I'm thinking that if work is defined as effort, it would be dependent on force more than displacement. However, this isn't quite what the book says. So, now I'm a bit confused as to how effort and work correlate to each other.
Whoever wrote that book should be shot! :smile: "Effort" is a loosely defined biological/physiological concept that is not directly equivalent to work. For example, if I tell you to hold a heavy weight in your hands for a certain amount of time without moving, I think you'll say that it takes 'effort' but since you're not moving no work is done on the mass. (Work will be done internally, within your muscles, but that's something else.)

What book are you using? What does it say about 'effort' versus 'work'?
 
Work is force times distance. I have no idea what effort is.
 
If I had to invent a definition, I'd say "effort", as it is commonly used in layman's terms, is the number of calories you burn to accomplish a certain task (over and above your resting burn rate).

Obviously, in many situations, there is no corellation at all between "effort" and "work".
 
Wow that gave me a good laugh
 
Haha, Doc Al! I've been in the mind-set a few times before, too. :) Actually, the book is a great one: Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach (Knight). The experiment I was doing was out of a parallel lab unit, and the purpose was the demonstrate to us how an everyday definition of "work," like lifting weights, is not actually work by a physicist's definition. It took blowing the experiment up from 1kg masses to big annoying bio books, but I actually got the difference--when all else fails, go bigger. :)

Thank you for your help, all of you!
 
tydychic said:
Actually, the book is a great one: Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach (Knight).
That is a good book.
The experiment I was doing was out of a parallel lab unit, and the purpose was the demonstrate to us how an everyday definition of "work," like lifting weights, is not actually work by a physicist's definition.
I'm happy to hear that. :wink:
 

Similar threads

Undergrad Work Lifting Things With and Without Torque
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
High School How is 1N enough to move a 0.1kg apple 1 meter high?
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
Undergrad Fulcrum, balance point and scissor lift force
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
High School How to work out Joules needed to perform work
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
7K
High School Mobility in a Strong Gravity Environment vs. Moving Mass?
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
1K
High School Comparing two expenditures of work
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
892
High School Work done in lifting and lowering an object
  • · Replies 34 ·
2
Replies
34
Views
5K
Graduate Feynman explanation of gravitational energy
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
High School Why two men can't lift a 2 ton car but can push same car
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
5K
High School How Does Inclined Load Affect Weight Distribution When Moving a Cabinet?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K