Pushing an Equipment Cart: Positive Work Done

What is the sign of the work done on the cart by the scientist when the scientist pushes the cart to the right and the cart moves to the right?

a) Positive

Answer:

The sign of the work done on the cart by the scientist is positive.

When a scientist pushes an equipment cart to the right while the cart moves to the right, the sign of the work done on the cart by the scientist is positive. Work is defined as the transfer of energy resulting from the application of force over a certain distance.

In this scenario, the scientist exerts a force on the cart in the same direction as its displacement. Since the force and displacement are both to the right, the angle between them is 0 degrees. According to the formula for work (W = F * d * cosθ), where θ is the angle between the force and displacement vectors, the cosine of 0 degrees is 1. Therefore, the work done on the cart is positive.

In simpler terms, when the scientist pushes the cart to the right and the cart also moves to the right, the scientist's efforts contribute positively to the cart's motion. The scientist's force aids the displacement of the cart, resulting in positive work being done on the cart.