How much work input is required to lower a 120-pound weight from the top of a 3-foot table to the floor?

To find the work input required to lower a 120-pound weight from the top of a 3-foot table to the floor, one must apply the principle of work, which is calculated as the product of force and distance. In this scenario, the force is equal to the weight being lowered, which is 120 pounds, and the distance is the height from which it is being lowered, which is 3 feet.

Using the formula for work, which is:

[ \text{Work} = \text{Force} \times \text{Distance} ]

Plugging in the values:

[ \text{Work} = 120 \text{ pounds} \times 3 \text{ feet} = 360 \text{ foot-pounds} ]

This calculation demonstrates that the work input required to lower the weight is indeed 360 foot-pounds. It reflects the energy transferred to move the weight from a higher gravitational potential energy to a lower one, ultimately equating to the product of the weight (force) and the distance moved vertically. Thus, the correct answer is 360 foot-pounds.