What do you mean by zero work, positive work and negative work?

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In physics, work is defined as the energy transferred to or from an object by means of a force acting on the object. It is expressed mathematically as the product of the force and the displacement of the object in the direction of the force.

  • When the force acting on an object is perpendicular to the displacement of the object, the work done by the force is zero. In other words, no energy is transferred to or from the object in this case.
  • If the force and the displacement of the object are in the same direction, the work done by the force is positive. This means that energy is transferred to the object by the force, and the object gains energy.
  • If the force and the displacement of the object are in opposite directions, the work done by the force is negative. This means that energy is transferred from the object to the force, and the object loses energy.

In summary, zero work means that no energy is transferred to or from the object, positive work means that energy is transferred to the object, and negative work means that energy is transferred from the object.

zero work, positive work and negative work

Zero Work, Positive Work and Negative Work

Previous Year Questions

  1. Calculate the work done by the applied force. [DUET 2011]
  2. What is the work done to pull the hanging part on the table. [JIPMER 2000]
  3. What is the work done in taking charge Q once along the loop? [NEET 2005]
  4. The work done by a given force only depends on? [JKCET 2018]
  5. Find the unknown angle between the force and displacement vector. [AMUEEE 2011]

Also check:

CBSE CLASS XII Related Questions

  • 1.
    A tank is filled with a liquid to a height of \( 12.5 \, \text{m} \). The apparent depth of a needle lying at the bottom of the tank is measured to be \( 9.0 \, \text{m} \). Calculate the speed of light in the liquid.


      • 2.
        Draw a circuit diagram of a full-wave rectifier using p-n junction diodes. Explain its working and show the input-output waveforms.


          • 3.
            Two small identical metallic balls having charges \( q \) and \( -2q \) are kept far at a separation \( r \). They are brought in contact and then separated at distance \( \frac{r}{2} \). Compared to the initial force \( F \), they will now:

              • attract with a force \( \frac{F}{2} \)
              • repel with a force \( \frac{F}{2} \)
              • repel with a force \( F \)
              • attract with a force \( F \)

            • 4.
              Write any two features of nuclear forces.


                • 5.
                  Write the expression for the magnetic field due to a current element in vector form. Consider a 1 cm segment of a wire, centered at the origin, carrying a current of 10 A in positive x-direction. Calculate the magnetic field \( \mathbf{B} \) at a point \( (1 \, \text{m}, 1 \, \text{m}, 0) \).


                    • 6.
                      The figure shows three point charges kept at the vertices of triangle ABC. The net electric field, due to this system of charges, at the midpoint M of base BC will be:

                        • \( \frac{q}{4 \pi \epsilon_0 l^2} \) pointing along MA
                        • \( \frac{q}{\pi \epsilon_0 l^2} \) pointing along AM
                        • \( \frac{q}{2 \pi \epsilon_0 l^2} \) pointing along AM
                        • Zero
                      CBSE CLASS XII Previous Year Papers

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