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Received: from atlantis.cc.uwf.edu (atlantis.cc.uwf.edu [143.88.1.202])GTCC.SMTP."mosca@nadn.navy.mil" 09/10/96 07:43am >>>
I am going to change the subject a bit, from terminology about heat to
terminology about work. The work done by a force on a particle is the
dot product of the force and the displacement of the object. (Obviously
a non-calculus definition.) Occasionally one hears about the" work
done against" a force. For example, "A man lifts a known weight
through a known change in height. How much work does he do
against gravity?" What does this mean? I have never seen a good
definition of "work done against." From the contect I presume that the
work done against gravity is merely nothing more than the negative of
the work done by the gravitational force on the weight. Is that correct?
Wouldn't it be best to avoid using the phrase "work done against?"
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Eugene (Gene) P. Mosca Phone 410-293-6659 (Fax 3729)
Physics Department 410-267-0144 Home
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U.S.Naval Academy Mailstop 9C, Michelson Rm 339
Annapolis MD 21402 email: mosca@nadn.navy.mil
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