How to Calculate Work Done in Lifting a Barbell

Question:

How do you calculate the work done in lifting a barbell that is twice as heavy the same distance?

Answer:

The work done in lifting a barbell is directly proportional to the weight of the object. When lifting a barbell that is twice as heavy the same distance as the original barbell, the work done will also be twice as much. Let's break down the calculation in detail.

Work is a measure of the energy transferred when a force acts on an object and moves it through a distance. In the case of lifting a barbell, work is done against the force of gravity. The formula to calculate work is Work = Force × Distance.

Let's assume the weight of the original barbell is represented by W and the distance lifted is represented by D. The work done in lifting the original barbell is denoted as W1.

When lifting a barbell that is twice as heavy, the weight of the second barbell would be 2W. To calculate the work done in lifting the second barbell, we use the formula as follows:

Work2 = Force2 × Distance

Since the distance lifted is the same, we can keep it as D. Therefore, we have:

Work2 = (2W) × D

Simplifying this expression, we get:

Work2 = 2(W × D)

So, the work done in lifting a barbell that is twice as heavy the same distance is twice the work done in lifting the original barbell. This demonstrates the direct relationship between the weight of the object and the work done in lifting it.