Work-Energy Theorem Calculator mechanism

Model scope

The formulas are standard under the stated assumptions, but the specification needs explicit definitions for net force, constant force, theta's reference direction, and theta's unit. The exact unresolved ambiguity is whether theta is entered in degrees or radians, and whether F denotes net force or an individual force; therefore the instrument is not ready for an unconditional PASS.

• W=Fd cos(theta) is correct for a constant force, where theta is the angle between the force vector and displacement vector; the specification does not state the required constant-force assumption.
• The stated computation is for net work and resulting change in kinetic energy, so F must be the net force. The input label F does not explicitly require that it be the net force.
• The work-energy equality W=Delta KE applies to net work; work by one individual force is not generally equal to the total kinetic-energy change unless all other work is included or zero.

Units and conventions

• F is in newtons, d is in meters, m is in kilograms, u and v are in meters per second, and W and Delta KE are in joules.
• theta must be explicitly defined as the angle between the force and displacement vectors.
• The specification does not state whether theta is entered in degrees or radians; this must be made explicit because plain-JS trigonometric functions use radians.
• For the F,d,theta pathway, F is assumed to be the constant net force over the displacement.
• For the m,u,v pathway, u and v are initial and final speeds or velocity magnitudes in a fixed inertial frame.

Inspectable vector

One of 4 source-bound review vectors:

{
  "inputs": {
    "F": 50,
    "d": 12,
    "theta": 0,
    "theta_unit": "degrees"
  },
  "expected_outputs": {
    "W_J": 600,
    "DeltaKE_J": 600
  },
  "working": "cos(0 degrees)=1. W=F*d*cos(theta)=50 N*12 m*1=600 J. By the work-energy theorem, DeltaKE=W=600 J."
}

Failure boundary

BREAK_CLAIMED · SELF_FLAGGED

The extreme-magnitude case overflows ordinary JavaScript numeric arithmetic: the mathematically valid work value 1e616 J becomes Infinity. If the calculator does not reject or flag non-finite results, this is a robustness failure.

Other records

Sources and evidence

These pointers bind the page to evidence. They do not grant authority or collapse verification into deployment.

• VERIFIED_LEDGER.json
• evidence-tranche4/tranche4-results.json
• BOUNDARY_HAZARD_CATALOG.json