Work Done on an Incline: Questions Answered

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When pushing an object up an incline, work is done against gravity and friction, which involves both vertical and horizontal components. The confusion arises because work is calculated as the force applied times the distance moved in the direction of that force. In both cases, whether lifting vertically or pushing up an incline, the work done is equivalent when considering the effective force and distance. The textbook likely emphasizes that work is a scalar quantity, meaning it does not have a direction, but rather depends on the magnitude of the force and displacement. Clarifying the textbook's explanation can help resolve the misunderstanding about work done in different scenarios.
sparkle123
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When pushing an object up an incline, isn't work done in the horizontal direction?
But when lifting it direction, no work is done in the horizontal direction.
So why does my textbook say that the work done in both cases is the same? :(
 
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Work done is a scalar quantity. It does not have any direction.
Can you quote the exact paragraph from your book?
 

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