Work Done by serveral forces

In summary: Remember that it is important to keep track of units and to round properly to the correct number of significant figures. In summary, the conversation discusses the calculation of work done by different forces on a sled pulled by a tractor. The total work done by all forces is 9968.47J, but the book answer may be slightly different due to rounding and significant figures. It is important to keep track of units and round properly in calculations.
  • #1
Heat
273
0

Homework Statement



A farmer hitches her tractor to a sled loaded with firewood and pulls it a distance of 20m along level ground. The total weight of sled and load is 14700N. The tractor exerts a constant 5000N at an angle of 36.9 above the horizontal. There is a 3500N friction force opposing the sled's motion. Find the work done by each force acting on the sled and the total work done by all the forces.

The Attempt at a Solution



To start off,

I found the work done by each force.

I drew the figure as follows:

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/3663/49497726xp3.jpg

my calculations

cos(angle) = x/5000

5000 cos 36.9 = 3998.42

(3998.42J)(20m) = 79968.47

and

3500cos180 = -3500

(-3500J) (20m) = -70000

79968.47-70000 = 9968.47

My answer: 9968.47
Book answer: 10000


Is my process wrong, if so where did I go wrong? Don't the gravity and normal force cancel out?

From my reading in the book, we suppose to only count the horizontal forces, which is what I did here.
 
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  • #2
I agree with your answer, what is the answer in the book?
 
  • #3
the answer in the book is 10,000.

Don't know if this is rounded off,etc...since physics books usually tend to teach that we must not round off and be exact upon things.
 
  • #4
You are probably correct. My book actually does strange things such as G=9.8 instead of G=9.81. I'm pretty used to my answers being slightly off and I'm given full credit along with my classmates.
 
  • #5
Heat said:
the answer in the book is 10,000.

Your answer is more than close enough. The book is taking into account significant figures.
 

What is work done by multiple forces?

Work done by multiple forces refers to the total amount of energy expended by different forces acting on an object. It takes into account both the magnitude and direction of each force to determine the overall work done.

How is work done calculated when there are multiple forces involved?

The work done by multiple forces is calculated by taking the dot product of the force vector and the displacement vector. This means multiplying the magnitude of the force by the cosine of the angle between the force and the displacement.

Can work done by multiple forces be negative?

Yes, work done by multiple forces can be negative if the forces are acting in opposite directions. This means that the forces are doing work in opposite directions, resulting in a decrease in the overall work done.

What is the relationship between work and energy in regards to multiple forces?

Work done by multiple forces is a measure of the change in energy of an object. If the work done is positive, the object's energy increases. If the work done is negative, the object's energy decreases.

How does the angle between forces affect the overall work done?

The angle between forces affects the overall work done because it determines the direction of the displacement. If the angle is 0 degrees (or parallel), the work done is positive. If the angle is 180 degrees (or antiparallel), the work done is negative. And if the angle is 90 degrees (or perpendicular), the work done is 0.

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