The discussion centers on solving a physics problem involving the application of work in the x-direction and its implications when dealing with surfaces of varying shapes and orientations. The user initially attempted to apply a solution based on a flat surface but was corrected by another participant, @PeroK, who emphasized the necessity of considering the surface's shape. The conversation highlights the importance of using the Cartesian coordinate system and the displacement vector ds for accurate problem-solving in multidimensional contexts.
PREREQUISITESStudents and educators in physics, particularly those tackling multidimensional problems, as well as anyone interested in the application of work principles in varying surface contexts.
Do you mean "But it does not seem to work."?Callumnc1 said:
Thanks for your reply @PeroK ! Yes, sorry that was what I meant - I have fixed it now.PeroK said:
What's the relevance of ##x## in this case? Did you understand the book solution?Callumnc1 said:
Thanks for your reply @PeroK ! I thought maybe I could prove it in the x-direction first then extend it to more dimensions. But I guess I should probably use at least the cartesian coordinate system so do it in terms of the displacement vector ds like the solutions.PeroK said:
What if the ##x## direction is normal to the surface?Callumnc1 said:
Thanks for your reply @PeroK ! I guess that means that y-direction will be along the surfacePeroK said:
The surface could be any shape and any orientation. Your attempted solution in general is doomed! Do you see that?Callumnc1 said:
Oh true @PeroK! I forgot that the surface could be any shape! I was assuming that the surface was flat. That would be very hard to account for the shape of the surface doing it my way!! Thank you!PeroK said: