Work is done on the spring, and the spring subsequently does work on the object. A spring for example allows you to store then release energy when it's compressed and expanded respectively. The formula can be used when the restoring force is other than a gravitational field. The object is now doing work on whatever opposing force is doing the lowering. That's because when you return the object to the original position its gained potential energy (that was stored 'in' the object) is being spent. When you raise a weight 10 ft high and lower it to it's original height the net work done ON the object is zero since the displacement is zero. find displacement physicsBydrreads June 13, 2022JTable ContentsHow Find Displacement Physics What the formula for displacement How you find displacement physics examples How you find displacement and distance physics What. Displacement is a relative measure of distance which can turn out to be zero if you start and end at the same place. Apart from meter if we talk about rotational or angular displacement, some of the common units used are degrees, revolution, radian, vibration or cycle. It depends on both magnitude and direction of the object. After knowing about the SI unit of displacement, let us learn about other displacement units. Distance is an absolute measure between two points in space. Velocity is also defined as the rate of change of displacement.

It's not force times distance.īut returning to your original question I believe you are having difficulty differentiating the terms distance and displacement. The expended work is what's being spent in maintaining the isometric tension in your muscles. The process of carrying the object horizontally is much more complicated when trying to figure out how much work is being expended. Once you return to your point of origin and lower the object the object is now doing work on your muscles. When you walk ten feet in one direction, then back there is zero work done on the object assuming you held the object at the same vertical position.

The distance and the displacement do not have to be equal. The displacement of an object is 0 if its starting and ending points are the same. Its a quantity thats measured in terms of vectors. In your example, when you lift the object in a gravitational field, the work being done on the object is its weight (force) times the vertical distance it's lifted. A displacement is defined as a change in an objects position. The formula you write is often misunderstood and misused.

If you 'carry' an object 10 meters in one direction then return it back 10 meters from where you started the work done on the object is not the force you expended times distance walked.

Displacement physics