What is Work Done by Forces?

In physics, "work" is a term we use to explain what happens when a force pushes or pulls something and makes it move.

To put it simply, we can think about work this way:

Work Done ($W$) = Force ($F$) x Distance ($d$) x Cosine of the Angle ($\theta$)

Here’s what those terms mean:

• $W$: This represents the work done. We measure it in joules (J).
• $F$: This is the strength of the force that is pushing or pulling the object. We measure it in newtons (N).
• $d$: This is how far the object moves in the direction of the force. We measure it in meters (m).
• $\theta$: This is the angle between the direction of the force and the direction the object is moving.

Important Points to Remember:

• Work happens only when the object moves in the same direction that the force is applied.

• If the angle ($\theta$) is 0 degrees, it means the force is pushing directly in the direction of the movement. So all of the force contributes to the work, and the formula becomes $W = F \cdot d$.

• If the angle ($\theta$) is 90 degrees, the force is pushing sideways and not helping the object move. In this case, no work is done, meaning $W = 0$.

Understanding how work is done is really important because it helps us look at how energy moves around in different systems.