Question

In a tug or war, will the work done by a losing team be positive or negative?

Answer 1

1. In a tug of war, the net acting on the losing team is the resultant of the forces applied by the two teams, therefore, they undergo displacement.
2. We know that work $\left(W\right)$ is $W=Fs$, where $F$ is the force and $s$ is displacement.
3. The Displacement is toward the winning team, and force applied by the losing team is in opposite direction.
4. The force $\left(F\right)$ applied by the losing team is negative as the force and displacement are in opposite direction.
5. Therefore, the work done by the losing team will be negative.