If we have a look at our store of memories we will find many examples where the direction of the force applied is different from that of the displacement.  Let's investigate the influence that this can have on the work carried out.

LEARN:

To obtain the maximum amount of work from a force the direction of the force must be as near as possible to the direction of the movement produced.  This is not always possible in daily life.  If we pull  a small cart along with a rope it would be very uncomfortable to bend down to the level of the rope and then pull! Work is the physical magnitude which relates a force with the displacement it causes.

When a force causes a movement only the component of the force which acts in the direction of the displacement is doing work..