Here's the breakdown:
* Work is done when a force causes a displacement in the direction of the force.
* A force at an angle to the direction of motion has two components:
* Component parallel to the motion: This component does work because it directly contributes to the displacement.
* Component perpendicular to the motion: This component does not do work because it does not directly contribute to the displacement.
Example:
Imagine pushing a box across a floor. You push at an angle, so the force has:
* A horizontal component that moves the box forward (does work).
* A vertical component that pushes down on the box (does no work).
Therefore, a force at an angle to the direction of motion can perform work, but only the component of the force parallel to the motion does the work.
