Final answer:
The force used to move a couch when 15 J of work is done over a distance of 1.3 m can be calculated using the formula F = W/d, resulting in a force of 11.54 N.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking about the force used to move a couch a certain distance when a specific amount of work is done. In physics, work is defined as the force applied to an object times the distance the object moves in the direction of the force. Thus, the formula to calculate work (W) is W = force (F) × distance (d).
To find the force used to move the couch, we need to rearrange the work formula to solve for force: F = W/d. Given that the work done is 15 J and the couch was moved 1.3 m, the force can be calculated as follows: F = 15 J / 1.3 m = 11.54 N.
This calculation assumes that the force is applied in the same direction as the movement, and there are no other forces at play, such as friction or inclines, which can complicate the calculation.