Discuss the possibilities of work done to be zero.

Explanation

Work done is zero in the following cases.
(i) When the force is zero (F = 0). For example, a body moving on a horizontal smooth frictionless surface will continue to do so as no force (not even friction) is acting along the plane. (This is an ideal situation.)
(ii) When the displacement is zero (dr = 0). For example, when force is applied on a rigid wall it does not produce any displacement. Hence, the work done is zero as shown in figure.
(iii) When the force and displacement are perpendicular `(theta = 90^(@))` to each other. When a body moves on a horizontal direction, the gravitational force (mg) does not work on the body, since it acts at right angles to the displacement as shown in Figure (b). In circular motion the centripetal force does not do work on the object moving on a circle as it is always perpendicular to the displacement as shown in Figure (c)