What does negative work refer to in physics?

• A. Force times distance exerted against gravity
• B. Force times distance exerted without gravity
• C. Force times distance exerted along with gravitational force
• D. Force times inertia of an object

Answer: (C)

Negative work in physics refers to a scenario where the force applied on an object and the displacement of that object are in opposite directions. This commonly occurs when an object is moving in a direction opposite to the direction of the applied force.

When considering work done against gravitational force, it becomes evident that if a force, such as lifting a weight upward against gravity, is applied in one direction (upward) while the object might be falling (downward), the work done is classified as negative. This is because the overall effect is to reduce the kinetic energy of the object in relation to the gravitational pull. Hence, force times distance, considering the effect of gravity, captures the essence of negative work as it illustrates how gravitational forces can influence the outcomes of applied force vectors and displacement.

In the context of the other choices, the differences lie in how they define the interaction of force and distance applied in relation to gravity and movement. They do not effectively capture the concept of negative work, as they either ignore the gravitational component entirely or present scenarios where force and displacement are aligned or not oppositional.