Question

Work virtual lab
Directions: Use the following scenarios to determine if work is being done. Fill in the chart provided and complete the response question.
An opossum hangs from a tree branch. How much work is the opossum doing on the tree?
Force
5 Nup
Distance
0 m up
Work
• Joules
0.05
0.5
A horse carries & oack. How much work a horse doina on the pack?
Force
50 N up
Distance
5 m left
Work
Check
Replay
25
250
A frog jumps up onto a rock. How much work is the frog doing to lit itseif?
Force
4 N up
Check
Distance
0.2 m up
Work
Replay
Joules
0.8
An ant carries a crumb upward. How much work is the ant doing on the crumb within the height given?
Force
0.01 N up
Distance
0.05 m up
Work
0.005
0.02
05
Joules
doing on the carrot?
Force
1 N up
Distance
0.1 m up
Work
Joules
Check
0.1
0.4
A heron pulls a list out of the waler. How much work is tie li doing on the fish within the height given?
Force
5 N up
Check
Distance
0.5 m up
Work
0.25
Jou
A dog cares a puppy. How much work is the ood core o01 puppy?
Force
9 Nup
2 m right
• Joules
A lizard catches an insect. How much work is the lizard doing on the insect?
Force
0.01 N left
Distance
0.05 m left
Work
0.2
0.5
Joules
A beaver pushes wood towards a beaver dam. How much work is the deuver coin on the woodn
Force
2 N left
Check
Distance
0.5 m left
Replay
Work
0.10
Measurement What is the relationship between work, force, and distance?
Event
Force Distance Parallel Work (Newtons)
Displacement Direction? (Joules)
(meters)
Yes/No
Possum Hanging from tree 5N up
0m up
Yes
0
Ant carry crumb Dog carry pup Horse carry pack Rabbit pull carrot Lizard catching bug Frog jump to rock Bird pulls fish Beaver pushes wood
Response Questions:
1. Of the events you explored, which animal did the most work? Why?
2. Use the scientific definition of work, explain why no work was done in one of the events.
3. Use the scientific definition of work, does a great amount of force always result in a great
amount of work? Why or why not?
4. Use the scientific definition of work, does moving an object a greater distance require a
greater amount of work? Why or why not?
5. List 3 additional real world examples that show work being done
6. Give real examples that show no work being done? Can you think of examples other
than resisting the force of gravity?

Answer 1

Filled chart (Work = F · d · cosθ; when force and displacement are in same direction cosθ = 1; if perpendicular cosθ = 0):

- Possum hanging from tree
- Force: 5 N (up)
- Distance: 0 m (up)
- Parallel? Yes (same direction) but distance = 0
- Work: 5 N · 0 m = 0 J

- Horse carrying a pack
- Force: 50 N (up)
- Distance: 5 m (left)
- Parallel? No (force up, displacement horizontal)
- Work: 50 N · 5 m · cos90° = 0 J

- Frog jumps up onto a rock
- Force: 4 N (up)
- Distance: 0.20 m (up)
- Parallel? Yes
- Work: 4 N · 0.20 m = 0.8 J

- Ant carries a crumb upward
- Force: 0.01 N (up)
- Distance: 0.05 m (up)
- Parallel? Yes
- Work: 0.01 N · 0.05 m = 0.0005 J

- Rabbit pulls carrot (given)
- Force: 1 N (up)
- Distance: 0.10 m (up)
- Parallel? Yes
- Work: 1 N · 0.10 m = 0.10 J

- Heron (bird) pulls fish out of water
- Force: 5 N (up)
- Distance: 0.50 m (up)
- Parallel? Yes
- Work: 5 N · 0.50 m = 2.5 J

- Dog carrying a puppy
- Force: 9 N (up)
- Distance: 2.0 m (right)
- Parallel? No
- Work: 9 N · 2 m · cos90° = 0 J

- Lizard catches an insect
- Force: 0.01 N (left)
- Distance: 0.05 m (left)
- Parallel? Yes
- Work: 0.01 N · 0.05 m = 0.0005 J

- Beaver pushes wood toward a dam
- Force: 2 N (left)
- Distance: 0.50 m (left)
- Parallel? Yes
- Work: 2 N · 0.50 m = 1.0 J

Response questions

1) Which animal did the most work? Why?
- The heron (bird pulling the fish) did the most work: 2.5 J. Reason: it had the largest product of force × displacement in the direction of the force among the events.

2) Use the scientific definition of work to explain why no work was done in one of the events.
- Example: the horse carrying the pack (or the dog carrying the puppy). The force exerted by the animal is vertical while the displacement is horizontal, so the angle between force and displacement is 90°. Work = F · d · cosθ, and cos90° = 0, so W = 0 J. (Also if displacement = 0, as with the possum hanging still, then W = 0.)

3) Does a great amount of force always result in a great amount of work? Why or why not?
- No. Work depends on both force and displacement (and the angle between them). A large force with zero displacement (holding something still) or with displacement perpendicular to the force produces little or no work. Conversely, a small force acting over a large displacement can produce a large amount of work.

4) Does moving an object a greater distance require a greater amount of work?
- Not necessarily. Greater distance increases work only if the force along the displacement stays the same. If the force is small or zero along the displacement, increasing distance may not increase work much. Work = F · d · cosθ, so distance matters only in combination with the component of force along the displacement.

5) List 3 additional real world examples that show work being done
- Lifting a grocery bag from the floor to a countertop (force upward × vertical distance).
- Pushing a loaded shopping cart across a grocery aisle (horizontal force × distance pushed).
- Pulling a suitcase up a ramp into a car (force along ramp × distance along ramp).

6) Give real examples that show no work being done (other than resisting gravity)
- Pushing on a locked door that does not move (force applied, displacement = 0 → W = 0).
- Pressing on a heavy boulder that does not budge (no displacement → W = 0).
- Pulling on a rope tied to a fixed post so the rope does not move (no displacement of the object being acted on → W = 0).

If you want, I can produce this in a neat printable table or show the calculations step-by-step for any one example.