Identifying Work in Real Situations
Spotting when work actually happens can be tricky! Climbing a ladder counts as work because you're moving your weight against gravity. Pushing a rock 5 metres is work since you overcome friction to create movement.
However, pushing a car really hard without moving it isn't work - despite the effort, there's no displacement. Similarly, going up in a lift involves work, but the lift motor does it, not you.
A parked car obviously involves no work since nothing moves. The key test is always: did a force cause movement?
Quick Check: Ask yourself "Did something move because of a force?" - if yes, work was done!
This distinction between effort and actual work is crucial for physics calculations.