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Star asked in Science & MathematicsPhysics · 9 years ago

work done climbing stairs? Challenging!?

So i am climbing a staircase. i have already figured out my displacement vector as well as its x and y components. I have also figured out my weight in newtons. so to figure out the work done i would take the displacement component and the force component that are is the same direction and multiply them.

My question is that the only force i exert in this situation is the force which is equal but opposite to my weight correct? but i thought that the normal force took countered the weight force so i stayed in equilibrium? Also, is the force i exert only upwards or is it along my displacement vector?

I might be making this more confusing than it needs to be, but i think its a complex situation. thanks for any help!

1 Answer

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  • 9 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    The only work done is in raising your weight W to a height h. So if the rise of each step is 1/3 m and you climb 30 steps, you lift your weight 1/3 * 30 = 10 m. So the work done, E = Wh = W 30 = ? Joules where W is your weight in Newtons.

    Note the run, horizontal part, of each step does not play into the work function...just the rise, the vertical part.

    I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill.

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