4.37. Calculating Work http://www.ck12.org
- The SI unit for work is the joule (J), or Newton • meter (N • m). One joule equals the amount of work that is
done when 1 N of force moves an object over a distance of 1 m. - The equation for work can be rearranged to find force or distance if the other variables are known.
Vocabulary
- joule (J): SI unit for work, equal to the amount of work that is done when 1 Newton of force moves an object
over a distance of 1 meter. - work: Use of force to move an object; calculated as force multiplied by distance.
Explore More
At the following URL, review how to calculate work from force and distance. Then solve the practice problems
(except for problem 8) at the bottom of the Web page.
http://www2.franciscan.edu/academic/mathsci/mathscienceintegation/MathScienceIntegation-1011.htm
Review
- Write the equation for calculating work when force and distance are known.
- What is the SI unit for work? What does it represent?
- Clarissa helps her mom put the 200-Newton lawn mower in the back of her mom’s truck. They lift the mower
up from the ground to the truck bed, which is 1.1 meters above the ground. How much work do Clarissa and
her mom do? - Clarissa climbs into the back of the truck to tie the lawn mower in place. If she does 528 joules of work raising
herself to the truck bed, how much does she weigh?