Name ____________________
Period_____________
Date______________
Work or No Work?
Instructions: In groups of 3-4 students, you will be given 1 of 5 images of
work being done or not. You will have to debate with your group members
on whether or not work is being done on the objects, provide an
explanation, and draw a free body diagram if work is being done. After
3-4 minutes, the image will be passed clockwise to the next group and the
process repeats. Complete the table below.
Image #
1
2
Work
0 Work
Explanation
Free Body Diagram (if work is
applied)
3
4
5
Image 1: a person applies a 10N force to a wall and becomes
exhausted
Image 2: A man exerts a 12N force to push a piano a distance
of 0.5m
Image 3
A woman holds her groceries and carries them a distance
(*BE CAREFUL WITH THIS ONE)
Image 4
A book falls 1m to the ground because of gravity (9.8N)
(neglect air resistance - upward force in free body diagram)
Image 5
A rocketship moves 100m from a 16,000N upward force due
to its upward acceleration.
Answers
Image #
Work
1
2
3
0 Work
Explanation
X
The force is not causing the
wall to move a distance
X
The force the man is applying
is causing the piano to move a
distance
X
The force the woman is
applying on the groceries is in
the vertical direction, but she
is moving horizontally. The
force is not in the direction of
the motion, so no work is done
Free Body Diagram of Object (if
work is applied)
4
X
The book is falling in the
direction of its motion, work is
happening.
5
X
The force applied and the
motion are both in the vertical
direction, so work is being
done on the rocket.