Work (physics)

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"Mechanical work" redirects here. For other uses of "Work" in physics, see Work
(electrical) and Work (thermodynamics).

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Work

A baseball pitcher does positive work on the ball by applying a force

to it over the distance it moves while in his grip.

Common symbols W

SI unit joule (J)

Other units Foot-pound, Erg

In SI base units 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−2

Derivations from W=F⋅s

other quantities
W=τθ

Dimension M L2 T−2

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In physics, work is the energy transferred to or from an object via the application of
force along a displacement. In its simplest form, it is often represented as the product
of force and displacement. A force is said to do positive work if (when applied) it has a
component in the direction of the displacement of the point of application. A force does
negative work if it has a component opposite to the direction of the displacement at the
point of application of the force.[1]
For example, when a ball is held above the ground and then dropped, the work done by
the gravitational force on the ball as it falls is equal to the weight of the ball (a force)
multiplied by the distance to the ground (a displacement). When the force F is constant
and the angle between the force and the displacement s is θ, then the work done is
given by:

Work is a scalar quantity,[2] so it has only magnitude and no direction. Work transfers
energy from one place to another, or one form to another. The SI unit of work is
the joule (J), the same unit as for energy.
SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_(physics)