A 17.5 kg cart is moving with a velocity of 7.45 m/s down a level hallway. A constant force of -10.0 N acts on the cart, and its velocity becomes 3.20 m/s. Assume that air resistance is negligible.
(a) What is the change in kinetic energy of the cart?
(b) How much work was done on the cart?
(c) How far did the cart move while the force acted?
Answer: The change in the kinetic energy of an object is equal to the net work done on the object. This fact is referred to as the Work-Energy Principle and is often a very useful tool in mechanics problem solving.
