Final answer:
The work done by a supermarket checkout attendant on a can of soup is calculated as the product of the force applied and the distance moved. Since the force is applied in the same direction as the can's motion, the work done is 3.00 joules.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Physics, the concept of work is defined as the product of the force applied to an object and the distance over which that force is applied, provided the force is applied in the direction of the object's motion. In this specific case, a supermarket checkout attendant pushes a can of soup 0.600 meters horizontally with a force of 5.00 newtons. To calculate the work done, we use the formula:
Work = Force × Distance × cos(θ), where θ is the angle between the force and the direction of the motion.
Since the force is applied horizontally and the soup can also moves horizontally, the angle between the direction of the force and the movement of the can (θ) is 0 degrees. The cosine of 0 degrees is 1, so the work done is simply:
Work = Force × Distance × cos(0°) = 5.00 N × 0.600 m × 1 = 3.00 joules.
Thus, the correct answer for the amount of work done by the attendant on the can of soup is 3.00 joules (option a).