- #1
teken894
- 25
- 0
Here's a simple question that I get confused in explaining..
Can work be done on something if there is no motion?
This was a test question...and of course I wasn't thinking clearly..and I said that work can be done since motion is relative to something, work can be done... I thought, for example, that a box sitting on Earth has no motion, but the sun is "doing" work on the earth, and so does work on the box too...
However, I forgot that--the box--relative to the sun has motion...So my thought was wrong...
So..my real question now is...is work relative, since it depends on the relative motion(for displacement)? If work is relative, and work is the transfer of energy from one object to another...then is energy a relative variable too?
My other question is: can an object have no motion...because I thought motion was similar to matter..in that it can't be destroyed...only transferred..
I need help in connecting work, energy, and motion in a effective and clear way...because right now I'm confusing the concepts..any help is appreciated...
Can work be done on something if there is no motion?
This was a test question...and of course I wasn't thinking clearly..and I said that work can be done since motion is relative to something, work can be done... I thought, for example, that a box sitting on Earth has no motion, but the sun is "doing" work on the earth, and so does work on the box too...
However, I forgot that--the box--relative to the sun has motion...So my thought was wrong...
So..my real question now is...is work relative, since it depends on the relative motion(for displacement)? If work is relative, and work is the transfer of energy from one object to another...then is energy a relative variable too?
My other question is: can an object have no motion...because I thought motion was similar to matter..in that it can't be destroyed...only transferred..
I need help in connecting work, energy, and motion in a effective and clear way...because right now I'm confusing the concepts..any help is appreciated...