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  • Work Done by a Force: When Force and Displacement are Perpendicular
    Yes, it is possible for a force to act on a body, but still result in zero work done. This happens when the force and the displacement of the object are perpendicular to each other.

    Here's the explanation:

    * Work done by a force: Work is defined as the product of the force applied on an object and the displacement of the object in the direction of the force. Mathematically, it's expressed as: Work (W) = Force (F) x Displacement (d) x cos(θ) where θ is the angle between the force and displacement vectors.

    * Zero work: If the angle between the force and displacement is 90 degrees (i.e., they are perpendicular), then cos(90°) = 0. This means the work done will be zero, even if a force is acting on the object.

    Example:

    Imagine a satellite orbiting the Earth in a circular path. The Earth's gravitational force acts constantly on the satellite, pulling it towards the center of the Earth. However, the satellite's displacement at any given moment is tangent to its circular path, meaning it's perpendicular to the gravitational force. As a result, the work done by gravity on the satellite is zero.

    Key takeaway: Even if a force is applied, no work is done unless the object moves in the direction of the force.

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