14.

1 Work and Power

The weight lifter

applies a large force
to hold the barbell
over his head.
Because the barbell
is motionless, no
work is done on the
barbell.
14.1 Work and Power

What Is Work?

When does a force do work?

In science, work is the product of force and
distance.
14.1 Work and Power

What Is Work?

For a force to do work on an object, some of

the force must act in the same direction as
the object moves. If there is no movement,
no work is done.
Any part of a force that does not act in the
direction of motion does no work on an
object.
14.1 Work and Power

What Is Work?
Work is done when a force acts on an object in
the direction the object moves. Work is done
when the weightlifter exerts an upward force to
raise the barbell.
14.1 Work and Power

What Is Work?
Work Requires Motion
The weight lifter does no work on the
barbell as he holds it over his head. The
force applied to the barbell does not
cause it to move.
14.1 Work and Power

What Is Work?
Work Depends on Direction
• If all of the force acts in the same
direction as the motion, all of the force
does work.
• If part of the applied force acts in the
direction of motion, that part of the
force does work.
• If none of the force is applied in the
direction of the motion, the force does
no work.
14.1 Work and Power

What Is Work?
A. All of the force does work on the suitcase.

Force

Direction of motion
Force and motion
in the same direction
14.1 Work and Power

What Is Work?
A. All of the force does work on the suitcase.
B. The horizontal part of the force does work.

This force
does work
Force This force
does no
work

Direction of motion Direction of motion

Force and motion Part of force in
in the same direction direction of motion
14.1 Work and Power

What Is Work?
A. All of the force does work on the suitcase.
B. The horizontal part of the force does work.
C. The force does no work on the suitcase.

This force
does work
Force This force
does no Force
work

Direction of motion Direction of motion Direction of motion

Force and motion Part of force in Lifting force not
in the same direction direction of motion in direction
of motion
14.1 Work and Power

Calculating Work
14.1 Work and Power

Calculating Work
Units of Work
When using SI units in the work formula,
the force is in newtons, and distance is
in meters.
The joule (J) is the SI unit of work. A
joule is equal to 1 newton-meter.
14.1 Work and Power

Calculating Work
Using the Work Formula
A weight lifter raises a 1600-newton
barbell to a height of 2.0 meters.
• Work = Force × Distance
• Work = 1600 N × 2.0 m
• Work = 3200 N·m = 3200 J
14.1 Work and Power

What Is Power?

How are work and power related?

Power is the rate of doing work.
Doing work at a faster rate requires more
power. To increase power, you can increase
the amount of work done in a given time, or
you can do a given amount of work in less
time.
14.1 Work and Power

What Is Power?
Work is required to move snow from one
location to another. A person using a shovel
and a person using a snow blower can both do
the work needed to remove the snow.
The snow blower can do the job much faster
because it has more power.
14.1 Work and Power

What Is Power?
Because the snow blower can remove more
snow in less time, it requires more power than
hand shoveling does.
14.1 Work and Power

Calculating Power
14.1 Work and Power

Calculating Power
When using SI units in the power formula,
work is measured in joules (J), and time is
measured in seconds (s).
The SI unit of power is the watt (W), which is
equal to one joule per second.
14.1 Work and Power

Calculating Power
Calculating Power
You exert a vertical force of 72 newtons to lift a
box to a height of 1.0 meter in a time of 2.0
seconds. How much power is used to lift the box?
14.1 Work and Power

Calculating Power
Read and Understand
What information are you given?
14.1 Work and Power

Calculating Power
Read and Understand
What information are you given?
14.1 Work and Power

Calculating Power
Plan and Solve
What formula contains the given quantities
and the unknown?
14.1 Work and Power

Calculating Power
Plan and Solve
What formula contains the given quantities
and the unknown?
14.1 Work and Power

Calculating Power
Plan and Solve
Replace each variable with its known value
and solve.
14.1 Work and Power

Calculating Power
Plan and Solve
Replace each variable with its known value
and solve.
14.1 Work and Power

Calculating Power
Look Back and Check
Is your answer reasonable?
14.1 Work and Power

Calculating Power
Look Back and Check
Is your answer reasonable?

36 watts is not a lot of power, which seems

reasonable considering the box was lifted
slowly, through a height of only 1 meter.
14.1 Work and Power

Calculating Power
1. Your family is moving to a new apartment.
While lifting a box 1.5 m straight up to put it on
a truck, you exert an upward force of 200 N for
1.0 s. How much power is required to do this?
14.1 Work and Power

Calculating Power
1. Your family is moving to a new apartment.
While lifting a box 1.5 m straight up to put it on
a truck, you exert an upward force of 200 N for
1.0 s. How much power is required to do this?

Answer: Work = Force × Distance =

200 N × 1.5 m = 300 J
Power = Work/Time = 300 J/1.0 s = 300 W
14.1 Work and Power

Calculating Power
2. You lift a book from the floor to a bookshelf
1.0 m above the ground. How much power is
used if the upward force is 15.0 N and you do
the work in 2.0 s?
14.1 Work and Power

Calculating Power
2. You lift a book from the floor to a bookshelf
1.0 m above the ground. How much power is
used if the upward force is 15.0 N and you do
the work in 2.0 s?

Answer: Work = Force × Distance =

15 N × 1.0 m = 15 J
Power = Work/Time = 15 J/2.0 s = 7.5 W
14.1 Work and Power

Calculating Power
3. You apply a horizontal force of 10.0 N to pull
a wheeled suitcase at a constant speed of 0.5
m/s across flat ground. How much power is
used? (Hint: The suitcase moves 0.5 m/s.
Consider how much work the force does each
second and how work is related to power.)
14.1 Work and Power

Calculating Power
3. You apply a horizontal force of 10.0 N to pull
a wheeled suitcase at a constant speed of 0.5
m/s across flat ground. How much power is
used? (Hint: The suitcase moves 0.5 m/s.
Consider how much work the force does each
second and how work is related to power.)

Answer:
Work = Force × Distance =
10.0 N × 0.5 m = 5 J
Power = Work/Time = 5 J/1.0 s = 5 W
14.1 Work and Power

James Watt and Horsepower

Another common unit of power is the
horsepower. One horsepower (hp) is equal
to about 746 watts.
James Watt (1736-1819) was looking for a
way to compare the power outputs of steam
engines he had designed. Horses were a
logical choice for comparison as they were
the most commonly used source of power in
the 1700s.
14.1 Work and Power

James Watt and Horsepower

The horse-drawn plow and the gasoline-
powered engine are both capable of doing
work at a rate of four horsepower.
14.1 Work and Power

Assessment Questions

1. In which of the following cases is work being done

on an object?
a. pushing against a locked door
b. suspending a heavy weight with a strong chain
c. pulling a trailer up a hill
d. carrying a box down a corridor
14.1 Work and Power

Assessment Questions

1. In which of the following cases is work being done

on an object?
a. pushing against a locked door
b. suspending a heavy weight with a strong chain
c. pulling a trailer up a hill
d. carrying a box down a corridor

ANS: C
14.1 Work and Power

Assessment Questions

2. A tractor exerts a force of 20,000 newtons to

move a trailer 8 meters. How much work was
done on the trailer?
a. 2,500 J
b. 4,000 J
c. 20,000 J
d. 160,000 J
14.1 Work and Power

Assessment Questions

2. A tractor exerts a force of 20,000 newtons to

move a trailer 8 meters. How much work was
done on the trailer?
a. 2,500 J
b. 4,000 J
c. 20,000 J
d. 160,000 J
ANS: D
14.1 Work and Power

Assessment Questions

3. A car exerts a force of 500 newtons to pull a boat

100 meters in 10 seconds. How much power does
the car use?
a. 5000 W
b. 6000 W
c. 50 W
d. 1000 W
14.1 Work and Power

Assessment Questions

3. A car exerts a force of 500 newtons to pull a boat

100 meters in 10 seconds. How much power does
the car use?
a. 5000 W
b. 6000 W
c. 50 W
d. 1000 W

ANS: A
14.1 Work and Power

Assessment Questions

4. One horsepower is a unit of power equal to

a. 0.746 W.
b. 1.0 W.
c. 746 W.
d. 2,000 W.
14.1 Work and Power

Assessment Questions

4. One horsepower is a unit of power equal to

a. 0.746 W.
b. 1.0 W.
c. 746 W.
d. 2,000 W.

ANS: C