Calculate the amount of work accomplished by a three foot table holding up a two pound book.
A) 3 ft pounds of work
B) 4 ft pounds of work
C) 5 ft pounds of work
D) 6 ft pounds of work

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Work is calculated as force times distance. However, in this scenario, the table holding up a book is not moving the book through a distance in the direction of the force (gravity), so no work is being done in the physics sense. The options provided and the premise of the question seem to misunderstand the concept of work as defined in physics. The correct understanding is that no work is done by the table on the book in the context of physics principles. However, if we were to mistakenly apply the formula for work (work = force x distance) with an incorrect interpretation that holding up an object constitutes work, and misinterpreting the given options as attempting to apply this formula, one might incorrectly choose an option based on multiplying the weight of the book by the height of the table. But, since none of the explanations or calculations align with the fundamental physics principles of work, the provided answer choice and explanation highlight a misunderstanding.

Calculate the Amount of Work Accomplished by a Three Foot