Work Done by F on a Ball: Path or Displacement?

Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the work done by a constant force on a ball, specifically questioning whether this work depends on the path taken or merely the displacement. The subject area includes concepts from mechanics and work-energy principles.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are exploring the relationship between work done and the path versus displacement, with some attempting to clarify the role of displacement in the context of force direction. Questions about the correctness of their reasoning and calculations are also raised.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants sharing their thoughts on the dependence of work on displacement and questioning their own understanding. Some guidance on the relevance of the scalar product in this context has been mentioned, but no consensus has been reached.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the assumption that the force is constant and are considering the implications of kinetic and gravitational energy in their reasoning.

wolovemm
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
untitled.GIF

the question is what is the work done by F on the ball
so this is what i did
since F is constant we can apply
untitled2.GIF

and now here's my question, does the work done in this case depends on the path (curve) or the displacement (straight line)?
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
untitled.GIF

so I'm trying to find the work done by F on the ball

and this is what i got
texserver.gif

where
sqrt(2LH) is the displacement from the bottom to the position with height H.

So, I'm just wondering if this is correct or I'm missing something
 
Last edited:
wolovemm said:
and now here's my question, does the work done in this case depends on the path (curve) or the displacement (straight line)?
It depends on the component of the displacement in the direction of the force. (Read up on the meaning of the scalar/dot product of two vectors.)
 
it depenson dsplacement...kinectic converted into gravitational
 

Similar threads

How can "work" done by a force be negative?
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
2K
Work energy theorem problem -- Block sliding up a curved incline
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
Work Done by Friction & Gravity on Incline: Explained
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
8K
Conservation of Energy when lifting a box up off the floor
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
Oblique soccer shot calculation task
  • · Replies 38 ·
2
Replies
38
Views
4K
Solving a Motion Problem with Work-Energy Theorem
  • · Replies 23 ·
Replies
23
Views
2K
Work Done in slowly pulling a thread
  • · Replies 28 ·
Replies
28
Views
2K
Find work given two conservative forces and a nonconservative force
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
1K
Potential energy and work relationship
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
Which Path is Quickest? Investigating Ball Bearings on an Inclined Tube
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
3K