Question

A child carries a 3N book at a constant velocity of 4 meters across a horizontal floor. What is the net work done?

a) 0 J
b) 7 J
c) 10 J
d) 12 J

Answer 1

This problem is getting you used to the definition of 'work' = (force) x (distance).

It's hard to really imagine, but technically, when an object moves horizontally,
no work is done, because there's no lifting against the force of gravity.

Another way to look at it: The potential energy of the object never changes,
because its height never changes, so no energy ever goes into it ot gets
taken out of it.

Also, if the object moves at a constant speed, then it never accelerated,
and that means that no force ever acted on it.

So technically, when an object moves horizontally at a constant speed,
the work done on it is zero.