Final answer:
The correct statement about work done by a force is that it is the product of the component of force in the direction of displacement and the displacement itself. Work can be positive, negative, or zero, and it depends on the direction of the force relative to the displacement.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct statement regarding the work done by a force is that work done is the product of force and displacement in the direction of the force. To elaborate, for work to be done on an object, both a force must be exerted on the object, and the object must have a displacement. The work done, W, can be represented by the equation W = | F | (cosθ) | d |, where F is the force applied, d is the displacement of the object, and θ is the angle between the force vector and the displacement vector.
When the displacement is either zero or perpendicular to the force, no work is done. If the force and displacement are in the same direction, the work is positive; if they are in opposite directions, the work is negative. The statement that work done is always positive is incorrect because work can also be negative or zero. In addition, mass does affect the work done through different forces, such as gravitational force, which is dependent on mass, hence making the statement that work done is independent of mass incorrect as well. Lastly, work done is not the same for all types of forces because it depends on the components of the applied force in the direction of displacement.