Final answer:
Force acting over a distance defines 'work,' not potential energy, latent energy, or kinetic energy. The correct answer to the student's question is A. work.
Step-by-step explanation:
Force acting over a distance is the definition of work. When a force is exerted on an object and the object moves through a distance, work is done, and energy is transferred from one object to another. When we compare this definition to different forms of energy, we can see that work is not the same as potential energy, which is stored energy dependent on the position of an object, or kinetic energy, which is the energy of motion of an object. Nor is it latent energy, which could refer to energy released or absorbed by a substance during a phase change (without a change in temperature). The correct answer is: A. work.