Understanding Work in Physics

What is Work?
In physics, work happens when a force makes an object move.

How Do We Calculate Work?
There’s a simple formula to figure out how much work is done:
$W = F \cdot d \cdot \cos(\theta)$

Here’s what each part means:

• W = Work, measured in joules
• F = Force applied, measured in newtons
• d = How far the object moves, measured in meters
• θ (theta) = The angle between the force and the direction the object moves

Units of Measurement

• Work is measured in joules (J).
• 1 joule is the same as 1 newton meter, which we write as:
  $1 \text{ J} = 1 \text{ N} \cdot \text{m}$

An Example
Let’s look at a quick example:
If a force of 10 newtons moves an object 5 meters in the same direction as the force, we can use our formula to find the work done.

So, it would look like this:
$W = 10 \, \text{N} \cdot 5 \, \text{m} = 50 \, \text{J}$

That means the work done is 50 joules!

Now you have a better understanding of what work means in physics!