A tractor applies a force of 500 N to pull a trailer a distance of 3 km - Leaving Cert Physics - Question b - 2016

To calculate work done (W) by the tractor, we use the formula:

$W = F imes d$

where:

• F is the force applied (in Newtons)
• d is the distance moved (in meters)

Given:

• Force, $F = 500 \, \text{N}$
• Distance, $d = 3 \, \text{km} = 3000 \, \text{m}$

Substituting the values into the formula:

$W = 500 \, \text{N} \times 3000 \, \text{m}$

Calculating the result:

$W = 1500000 \, \text{J} = 1.5 \times 10^6 \, \text{J}$

Thus, the work done by the tractor is 1.5 x 10^6 J.