The brakes of a truck cause it to slow down by applying a retarding force of 3.0 × 103N to the truck over a distance of 850 m.
What is the work done by this force on the truck? Is the work positive or negative?
To calculate the work done by a force, we can use the equation:
Work = Force x Distance
Given that the retarding force applied by the brakes is 3.0 × 10^3 N and the distance over which the force is applied is 850 m, we can substitute these values into the equation:
Work = (3.0 × 10^3 N) x (850 m)
Work = 2.55 × 10^6 N∙m = 2.55 × 10^6 J
Therefore, the work done by the force is 2.55 × 10^6 J. Since the force is retarding the motion of the truck, the work done by the force is negative.