Work - Questions
The Work Concept Builder is comprised of 36 questions. The questions are divided into 14 different question groups and spread across three activities. Questions in the same group are rather similar to one another in one way or another. The Concept Builder is coded to select at random a question from each group until a student is successful with that group of questions.
There are three different activities in the Concept Builder. Those three activities are described as follows:
- Activity 1 - Positive, Negative or Zero Work: Question Groups 1-5. Five Question Groups are presented. Learners must determie whether the situation is describing an example of positive work, negative work, or zero work.
- Actvitiy 2 - Gain or Loss: Question Groups 6-9. Four Question Groups are presented. Learners must identify the force that is doing work and the effect of that force on the total mechanical energy (increase, decrease, or no change) of the object upon which the work is done.
- Activity 3: Energy Transformation: Question Groups 10-14. Five Question Groups are presented. A physical situation involving work is described and learners must determine the energy transformation that is associated with the described instance of work.
The questions from each group are shown below. Teachers are encouraged to view the questions in order to judge which activities are most appropriate for their classes. All activities can be done without any redundancy. At the same time, any of the activities can be done at the exclusion of the others. They are all stand-alone activities.
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Work Concept Builder
Activity 1: Positive, Negative, or Zero Work
Question Group 1
Question 1:
Consider this situation:
A car skids to a stop along a level highway.
Is this an example of positive, negative, or zero work being done on the car?
Question 2:
Consider this situation:
A moving book slows to a stop as it slides across the classroom floor.
Is this an example of positive, negative, or zero work being done on the book?
Question 3:
Consider this situation:
A softball player slows to a stop while diving into third base.
Is this an example of positive, negative, or zero work being done on the player?
Question Group 2
Question 4:
Consider this situation:
A child slows to a stop while sliding along a lengthy Slip-and-Slide mat.
Is this an example of positive, negative, or zero work being done on the child?
Question 5:
Consider this situation:
A baseball is brought to a stop upon hitting the catcher's mitt.
Is this an example of positive, negative, or zero work being done on the mitt?
Question 6:
Consider this situation:
The downward moving hammer strikes the nail and slows down.
Is this an example of positive, negative, or zero work being done on the hammer?
Question Group 3
Question 7:
Consider this situation:
The lineman push on the weighted sled to accelerate it across the football field.
Is this an example of positive, negative, or zero work being done on the sled?
Question 8:
Consider this situation:
Dad gives the child in the swing a forward push in order to set her into motion.
Is this an example of positive, negative, or zero work being done on the child?
Question 9:
Consider this situation:
The horses pull on the carriage in order to get it started in motion.
Is this an example of positive, negative, or zero work being done on the carriage?
Question Group 4
Question 10:
Consider this situation:
The weightlifter lifts the barbell above her head.
Is this an example of positive, negative, or zero work being done on the barbell?
Question 11:
Consider this situation:
The student lifts the book from the floor to the top shelf of the locker.
Is this an example of positive, negative, or zero work being done on the book?
Question 12:
Consider this situation:
In the Autos lab, Suzie uses a hydraulic jack to lift a car off the ground.
Is this an example of positive, negative, or zero work being done on the car?
Question Group 5
Question 13:
Consider this situation:
Aaron pulls on the handle of the locked classroom door but fails to open it.
Is this an example of positive, negative, or zero work being done on the door?
Question 14:
Consider this situation:
Jonah holds the dog tightly by its leash to prevent it from moving.
Is this an example of positive, negative, or zero work being done on the dog?
Question 15:
Consider this situation:
While doing her stretches, Abigail pushes on a stationary wall.
Is this an example of positive, negative, or zero work being done on the wall?
Activity 2: What Does Work Do?
Question Group 6
Question 16:
Consider this situation:
A car with locked wheels skids to a stop while moving along a level highway.
In this situation, work is done on the car by ________.
The car's spinning axles
The friction between tires and road
The road pushing upward on the car
The force of gravity acting upon the car
As the result of this work, the car ________ mechanical energy.
Gains
Loses
Does not change its
Question 17:
Consider this situation:
A moving book slows to a stop as it slides across the classroom floor.
In this situation, work is done on the book by ________.
The floor pushing upward on the book
The friction between the book and floor
The person who originally pushed the book
The force of gravity pulling downward on the book
As the result of this work, the book ________ mechanical energy.
Gains
Loses
Does not change its
Question 18:
Consider this situation:
A softball player slows to a stop while sliding across the infield direct towards third base.
In this situation, work is done on the player by ________.
The infield dirt pushing up on the player
The player's legs while she was running
The earth's gravity pulling down on the player
The friction between the player and the infield dirt
As the result of this work, the player ________ mechanical energy.
Gains
Loses
Does not change its
Question Group 7
Question 19:
Consider this situation:
A baseball is brought to a stop upon hitting the catcher's mitt.
In this situation, work is done on the baseball by ________.
The force of gravity on the baseball
The force of the pitcher who threw the baseball
The force of the baseball pushing the mitt forward
The force of the catcher's mitt pusing against the baseball
As the result of this work, the baseball ________ mechanical energy.
Gains
Loses
Does not change its
Question 20:
Consider this situation:
The downward moving hammer strikes the nail and slows down.
In this situation, work is done on the hammer by ________.
The nail pushing upward on the hammer
The hammer pushing downward on the nail
The hand pushing downward on the hammer
The wood board pushing upward on the nail
As the result of this work, the hammer ________ mechanical energy.
Gains
Loses
Does not change its
Question Group 8
Question 21:
Consider this situation:
The students push on the stationary box to accelerate it across the gym floor.
In this situation, work is done on the box by ________.
The floor pushing upward on the box
The box pushing backward on the floor
The students applying force to the box
The Earth's gravity pulling downward on the box
As the result of this work, the box ________ mechanical energy.
Gains
Loses
Does not change its
Question 22:
Consider this situation:
Dad gives the child in the swing a forward push in order to set her into motion.
In this situation, work is done on the child by ________.
The force applied by Dad on the child
The seat of the swing holding the child up
The Earth's gravity pulling down on the child
The frame of the swing holding the swing in place
As the result of this work, the child ________ mechanical energy.
Gains
Loses
Does not change its
Question Group 9
Question 23:
Consider this situation:
The weightlifter lifts the barbell above her head.
In this situation, work is done on the barbell by ________.
The force of gravity pushing up on the barbell
The force of the floor pushing up on the weightlifter
The force of the barbell pushing down on the weightlifter
The upward force applied by the weightlifter to the barbell
As the result of this work, the barbell ________ mechanical energy.
Gains
Loses
Does not change its
Question 24:
Consider this situation:
The student lifts the book from the floor to the top shelf of the locker.
In this situation, work is done on the book by ________.
The downward force of the book on the student
The upward force of Earth's gravity on the book
The force of the floor pushing up on the student
The upward force applied by the student to the book
As the result of this work, the book ________ mechanical energy.
Gains
Loses
Does not change its
Question 25:
Consider this situation:
A rope is used to pull a bucket of water out of a deep well.
In this situation, work is done on the bucket by ________.
The force of the bucket pulling upward on itself
The force of well pushing upward on the bucket
The force of the rope pulling upward on the bucket
The force of the motor pulling upward on the rope
As the result of this work, the bucket ________ mechanical energy.
Gains
Loses
Does not change its
Activity 3: Energy Transformations
Question Group 10
Question 26:
Work done on an object or system of objects causes a transformation of energy. Consider the following situation:
A car with locked wheels skids to a stop while moving along a level highway.
This situation can best be described as a transformation of ____.
Kinetic energy into Potential Energy
Chemical energy into Kinetic energy
Potential energy into Chemical energy
Kinetic energy into Dissipated energy (e.g., heat and sound)
Chemical energy into Dissipated energy (e.g., heat and sound)
Question 27:
Work done on an object or system of objects causes a transformation of energy. Consider the following situation:
Along the horizontal section at the bottom of a tall slide, a child slows to a stop.
This situation can best be described as a transformation of ____.
Potential energy into Kinetic energy
Potential energy into Chemical energy
Kinetic energy into Chemical energy
Kinetic energy into Dissipated energy (e.g., heat)
Chemical energy into Dissipated energy (e.g., heat)
Question Group 11
Question 28:
Work done on an object or system of objects causes a transformation of energy. Consider the following situation:
A softball player slows to a stop while sliding across the infield dirt into third base.
This situation can best be described as a transformation of ____.
Kinetic energy into Chemical Energy
Chemical energy into Kinetic energy
Potential energy into Chemical energy
Kinetic energy into Dissipated energy (e.g., heat and sound)
Chemical energy into Dissipated energy (e.g., heat and sound)
Question 29:
Work done on an object or system of objects causes a transformation of energy. Consider the following situation:
A baseball is brought to a stop upon hitting the catcher's mitt.
This situation can best be described as a transformation of ____.
Kinetic energy into Potential energy
Kinetic energy into Chemical energy
Chemical energy into Kinetic energy
Kinetic energy into Dissipated energy (e.g., heat and sound)
Potential energy into Dissipated energy (e.g., heat and sound)
Question Group 12
Question 30:
Work done on an object or system of objects causes a transformation of energy. Consider the following situation:
The lineman push on the weighted sled to accelerate it across the football field.
This situation can best be described as a transformation of ____.
Kinetic energy into Potential energy
Chemical energy into Kinetic energy
Chemical energy into Potential energy
Potential energy into Chemical energy
Potential energy into Dissipated energy (e.g., heat)
Question 31:
Work done on an object or system of objects causes a transformation of energy. Consider the following situation:
Dad gives the child on the sled a long push to set him in motion along the level surface.
This situation can best be described as a transformation of ____.
Potential energy into Kinetic energy
Kinetic energy into Chemical energy
Chemical energy into Kinetic energy
Chemical energy into Potential energy
Dissipated energy (e.g., heat) into Kinetic energy
Question 32:
Work done on an object or system of objects causes a transformation of energy. Consider the following situation:
The light turns green, the driver steps on the gas, and the car accelerates from rest.
This situation can best be described as a transformation of ____.
Chemical energy into Kinetic energy
Kinetic energy into Chemical energy
Potential energy into Kinetic energy
Chemical energy into Dissipated energy (e.g., heat)
Dissipated energy (e.g., heat) into Kinetic energy
Question Group 13
Question 33:
Work done on an object or system of objects causes a transformation of energy. Consider the following situation:
The weightlifter lifts the barbell above her head.
This situation can best be described as a transformation of ____.
Potential energy into Kinetic energy
Chemical energy into Potential energy
Kinetic energy into Dissipated energy (e.g. heat)
Dissipated energy (e.g., heat) into Potential energy
Chemical energy into Dissipated energy (e.g. heat)
Question 34:
Work done on an object or system of objects causes a transformation of energy. Consider the following situation:
The student lifts the book from the floor and places it on the top shelf of the locker.
This situation can best be described as a transformation of ____.
Potential energy into Kinetic energy
Kinetic energy into Potential energy
Chemical energy into Kinetic energy
Chemical energy into Potential energy
Chemical energy into Dissipated energy (e.g., heat and sound)
Question Group 14
Question 35:
Work done on an object or system of objects causes a transformation of energy. Consider the following situation:
Under the influence of gravity, the ball falls from the second story window to the ground.
This situation can best be described as a transformation of ____.
Options:
Chemical energy into Kinetic energy
Kinetic energy into Chemical energy
Potential energy into Kinetic energy
Potential energy into Chemical energy
Dissipated energy (e.g., heat) into Kinetic energy
Question 36:
Work done on an object or system of objects causes a transformation of energy. Consider the following situation:
Starting from rest at the top of the friction-free slide, the child slides to the bottom.
This situation can best be described as a transformation of ____.
Options:
Kinetic energy into Chemical energy
Chemical energy into Kinetic energy
Potential energy into Kinetic energy
Potential energy into Chemical energy
Dissipated energy (e.g., heat) into Kinetic energy