Rolling a ball up an inclined plank requires an amount of work proportional to the
A) horizontal distance the ball is shifted.
B) height the ball is raised.
C) sum of the horizontal distance the ball is shifted and the height the ball is raised.
D) length of the plank.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The work done in lifting the ball up the inclined plank against the gravitational force is given by the product of the force required and the distance over which the force is applied. The force required to lift the ball is proportional to its weight, and the distance over which the force is applied is equal to the height of the inclined plank. Therefore, the amount of work required is directly proportional to the height the ball is raised, which is option B.

Rolling a Ball Up an Inclined Plank Requires an Amount