How do you calculate work using force and distance at an angle?

To calculate work when force is applied at an angle, it is essential to consider the component of the force that acts in the direction of the movement. The work done by a force is defined as the product of the force and the distance moved in the direction of that force. When the force is applied at an angle, only the component of the force that is in the same direction as the displacement contributes to the work done.

This is where the cosine function comes into play. The formula involves multiplying the force by the distance and then by the cosine of the angle between the force vector and the direction of displacement. By using the cosine function, you effectively extract the portion of the force that is acting along the line of movement. Thus, the correct formula to calculate work in this context is:

Work = Force x distance x cos(theta)

This approach allows for accurate calculation of work in scenarios where forces are not aligned directly with the movement direction, which is a common situation in mechanical applications.