Final answer:
The skateboard has the ability to do work because the boy is applying a force to it, causing it to move and therefore have kinetic energy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The skateboard has the ability to do work because the boy is applying a force to the skateboard, causing it to move. This application of force in the direction of the skateboard's motion is what defines work in physics. When the skateboard moves, it has kinetic energy, which is the energy of motion. This is similar to a car, which when accelerated by the engine, has work done on it, causing an increase in its kinetic energy.
Moreover, the work done on the skateboard can be observed in real-world connections like a person pushing a crate up a ramp despite opposing forces like friction and gravity. When the boy pushes the skateboard, much like pushing the crate, he imparts energy to the skateboard, overcoming friction and possibly increasing its potential and kinetic energies, depending on the situation.
In contrast, stationary objects like a stationary skateboard or a briefcase held without movement, do no work since work requires movement in the direction of the applied force (work equals force times distance times the cosine of the angle between force and displacement). Thus, the correct answer to why a skateboard has the ability to do work is C) Because the boy is applying a force to the skateboard, causing it to move.