Question

Identify which of the following is a characteristic of work?

• A. Work is done when a force acts on an object but does not move the object
• B. Work is done when an object moves without the application of force
• C. Work is done when a force acts on an object and moves that object some distance
• D. Work is another term used to refer to potential energy
• E. Work does not involve the transfer of energy

Answer 1

The correct option is C Work is done when a force acts on an object and moves that object some distance

Work done on a body by force $\overrightarrow{F}$, which is displaced by $\overrightarrow{s}$ is given by $\overrightarrow{F}.\overrightarrow{s}$.

If either the force applied or the displacement of the object is zero, there would be no work done on the object. Hence options A and B are rejected.

Work is not the same as potential energy. The work done on a body or system goes into the kinetic energy of the body. However if the body does not move, or posses any other kind of energy, it is termed to posses potential energy, meaning that it has the potential to do the same amount of work, which has been done on it, in accordance to the work-energy theorem.