You are pushing a refrigerator across the floor of your...

You are pushing a refrigerator across the floor of your kitchen. You exert a horizontal force of $300 \mathrm{N}$ for $7.0 \mathrm{s}$, during which time the refrigerator moves a distance of $3.0 \mathrm{m}$ at constant velocity. a. What is the total work (by all forces) done on the refrigerator? b. What is the work done by friction?

You are pushing a refrigerator across the floor of your kitchen. You exert a horizontal force of $300 \mathrm{N}$
for $7.0 \mathrm{s}$, during which time the refrigerator moves a distance of $3.0 \mathrm{m}$ at constant velocity.
a. What is the total work (by all forces) done on the refrigerator?
b. What is the work done by friction?

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Key Concepts

Work

Work is defined as the process of energy transfer when a force causes an object to move. It is calculated as the product of the force, the distance moved, and the cosine of the angle between the force and displacement vectors. This concept is fundamental in understanding how energy is transferred in mechanical systems.

Work-Energy Theorem

The Work-Energy Theorem states that the net work done on an object is equal to the change in its kinetic energy. When an object moves at constant velocity, its kinetic energy remains unchanged, which implies that the net work done on the object is zero. This principle connects the concept of work directly to the energy changes within a system.

Friction

Friction is a resistive force that opposes the relative motion of two surfaces in contact. In many practical situations, such as an object moving at a constant velocity, friction performs negative work, counterbalancing the work done by other applied forces and converting mechanical energy into heat.

Constant Velocity

Constant velocity indicates that an object is moving with unchanging speed and direction, which means there is no net acceleration. According to Newton’s First Law of Motion, the forces acting on the object must be perfectly balanced, leading to zero net work being done on the object overall.

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