Question

How is work affected when an object is lifted straight up instead of using a ramp?

Answer 1

If the ramp is perfectly frictionless, then there is no difference.
The amount of work done in both cases is the same.

If the ramp is real, and there is some friction, then it takes less work
to lift the object straight up than it takes to slide it up the ramp.

Answer 2

If the ramp is not frictionless, the work done will not be affected.

Step-by-step explanation:

The work done when a object is lifted striaght up is given by the formula:

`W=m.g.h`

Where W is the work, m is the mass, g is the gravity and h is the vertical height.

It doesn't matter if a person pulls a object across a ramp, because the vertical height will not change, as it is shown in the picture.

Hence, according the equation, since the height doesn't change, the work done by the person will be the same.

Consideration: If we consider the ramp is not frictionless, there will be a extra resistance force across the ramp and therefore, the work needed will be greater in the ramp to reach the same height.