A 200kg cart is pushed slowly up an incline. How much work does the pushing force do in moving the cart up to a platform 1.5m above the starting point if friction is negligible?

Question

jfraser · Answer

because the cart is being pushed up the ramp, work is being done against gravity. The Work-Energy Theorem states that the work done in lifting an object is equal to the change in potential energy of the object. The fact that it's going up a ramp is not important. It starts on the ground, and ends up 1.5m off the ground. Find the change in potential energy of the cart, and you'll find the work done.