In classical mechanics, it's really interesting to see how different forces affect the work done. Let’s break it down into easy parts:

1. Forces Doing Work:
   Work (let’s call it $W$) happens when a force (we'll call it $F$) moves something over a distance (we'll use $d$ for distance). The formula to remember is:
   $W = F \cdot d \cdot \cos(\theta)$
   Here, $\theta$ is the angle between the force and the direction the object is moving.

2. Types of Forces:

   • Conservative Forces (like gravity): These forces always do the same amount of work, no matter which path is taken. This means energy is kept, or conserved.
   • Non-Conservative Forces (like friction): These forces waste energy, which means less work gets done on the object.

3. Multiple Forces:
   When more than one force is involved, you need to look at the net force. This is the total force acting on the object. It changes how much work is done overall.

By understanding these ideas, you can see how energy changes in any physical situation!