Calculate Work Done with 104 N Force on 26 kg Mass

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In summary, the conversation discusses calculating the work done when a force of 104 N is applied to a 26 kg mass at an angle of 32 degrees to the horizontal. There is confusion about whether the mass should be included in the calculation and the possible outcomes of the work being done. Through further discussion and a sketch of a force displacement graph, it is determined that the work should equal the area under the graph and the two possible outcomes are not clear.
  • #1
physicsgal
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"a force of 104 N is applied to a 26 kg mass at an angle of 32 degrees to the horoizontal. calculate the work done when the mass is moved through a horizontal distance of 5 m."

my answer is zero because 26kg times 9.8 m/s^2 = 255 N, so a 104N force wouldn't be enough to move it. does that sound right?

~Amy
 
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  • #2
physicsgal said:
"a force of 104 N is applied to a 26 kg mass at an angle of 32 degrees to the horoizontal. calculate the work done when the mass is moved through a horizontal distance of 5 m."

my answer is zero because 26kg times 9.8 m/s^2 = 255 N, so a 104N force wouldn't be enough to move it. does that sound right?

~Amy

Since there is no friction mentioned, the force should move the mass. It is not the same as lifting the mass. In order to lift it, you should have a vertical force which is greater than the weight of the mass. So, the force F = 104 * cos32 is doing work along a distance of 5 m. Unless I'm missing something big here. :biggrin:
 
  • #3
that was my first answer F = 104 * cos32 = 441 J.

i dunno. it just seems like the 26 kg should be included somehow.

can anyone else shed some insight?

~Amy
 
  • #4
physicsgal said:
that was my first answer F = 104 * cos32 = 441 J.

i dunno. it just seems like the 26 kg should be included somehow.

can anyone else shed some insight?

~Amy

Maybe they're included to confuse you. :smile:
 
  • #5
k, looks like youre right. thanks for the help!

~Amy
 
  • #6
another question. there's a force displacement graph. (quick vent) i asked the school that I am signed up with and they have no idea about the below question :eek:. they have these chat rooms that take for ever to get any help and more than 50% of the time with my questions they are no help at all. today i was lucky and only wasted a half hour waiting (usually it takes an hour or more). but if you send an email they'll give you a good answer, but it takes 5 business days. grrrr...

part a starts at 40N, 0 displacement in m
then it goes to 40N at 4 m
=160J

then from 40N it slopes at 60N by 8 m
= 200J

so the total = 360J

and the question asks "state two possible outcomes of the work (above) being done on the object". I am not sure what "possible outcomes" mean.

~Amy
 
  • #7
Could you make a sketch of the diagram and post it on a link?
 
  • #8
i don't know how links work. but i'll try to sketch it here just using typing.

N
60...... /
....../
40------- /

20

0...2...4... 6...8 (displacement in m)

imagine the /s are a straight normal slope..

k, this is the best drawing i can do.

~Amy
 
Last edited:
  • #9
Hm, the work should equal the area under the graph, but I don't understand the 'two possible outcomes' part, neither.
 
  • #10
thanks anyways. :smile:

if anyone else can help, it'd be appreciated!

~Amy
 
  • #11
Its because the graph starts from 10N of force instead of 0. which means if you were to count the squares, instead of using the formula W=F*D , you will notice that you are not able to count from 0-10 N because its not included on the graph, thus changing the outcome
 

What is work and how is it calculated?

Work is the measure of energy transferred when a force acts on an object and causes it to move in the direction of the force. It is calculated by multiplying the magnitude of the force by the distance the object moves in the direction of the force.

What is the formula for calculating work done with a given force and mass?

The formula for calculating work is W = F * d, where W is work, F is the applied force, and d is the distance the object moves in the direction of the force.

How do I determine the force and mass values to use in the work formula?

The force value can be found by measuring the magnitude of the force applied to the object. The mass value can be determined by measuring the mass of the object in kilograms.

Can work be negative or zero?

Yes, work can be negative or zero. Negative work occurs when the force and displacement are in opposite directions, meaning the object is moving in the opposite direction of the applied force. Zero work occurs when the force and displacement are perpendicular to each other, meaning the force does not cause any movement in the direction of the force.

What are the units for work?

The SI unit for work is joule (J). However, other commonly used units include foot-pound (ft-lb) and calorie (cal).

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