The work that a force does by acting on an object is equal to what?
1) the product of force (in the direction of motion) and distance and is negative if the force and motion are in the same direction
2) the product of force (in the direction of motion) and distance and is positive if the force and motion are in the same direction
3) the product of force and distance without regard to direction
4) the product of distance and kinetic energy
5) the product of momentum and force (in the direction of motion)
The work done by a force acting on an object is equal to the product of the force and the distance over which the force is applied. To determine the correct answer, let's break down the given choices:
1) The product of force (in the direction of motion) and distance and is negative if the force and motion are in the same direction. This statement correctly represents the work done by a force when the force and motion are in the same direction. However, this choice does not consider the possibility of the force and motion being in opposite directions.
2) The product of force (in the direction of motion) and distance and is positive if the force and motion are in the same direction. This choice is similar to the first choice, but the key difference is that it correctly states that the work done is positive when the force and motion are in the same direction.
3) The product of force and distance without regard to direction. This choice does not consider the direction of the force or motion, which is incorrect. The direction of the force and motion is important when determining the work done.
4) The product of distance and kinetic energy. This choice does not correctly describe the work done by a force. Work is not related to the distance alone or to kinetic energy.
5) The product of momentum and force (in the direction of motion). This choice incorrectly introduces momentum into the equation. Momentum is not directly related to the work done by a force.
Considering the explanations above, the correct answer is option 2) the product of force (in the direction of motion) and distance, and the work done is positive if the force and motion are in the same direction.