Calculate the work produced if a force of 125 pounds is applied to move a wagon across a distance of 25 feet.

Calculate the work produced if a force of 125 pounds is applied to move a wagon across a distance of 25 feet.

• A. 3125 ft-lbs
• B. 1250 ft-lbs
• C. 3125 J
• D. 3125 N

Answer: (A)

Work is found by multiplying the force by the distance the object moves in the direction of that force. With a force of 125 pounds moving the wagon 25 feet, the work done is 125 × 25 = 3125 foot-pounds. Since the units are pounds and feet, the correct unit for work here is ft-lbs, so 3125 ft-lbs is the right value. The other options don’t fit because 3125 J would require converting from foot-pounds to joules, 3125 N is a force in newtons (not work), and 1250 ft-lbs would come from multiplying by 10, not 25.

Work is found by multiplying the force by the distance the object moves in the direction of that force. With a force of 125 pounds moving the wagon 25 feet, the work done is 125 × 25 = 3125 foot-pounds. Since the units are pounds and feet, the correct unit for work here is ft-lbs, so 3125 ft-lbs is the right value. The other options don’t fit because 3125 J would require converting from foot-pounds to joules, 3125 N is a force in newtons (not work), and 1250 ft-lbs would come from multiplying by 10, not 25.