Work is the transfer of energy to an object by using force and displacement. It is usually represented as the product of force and displacement. Its definition is simple: the energy that is transferred to an object is the same as the energy that is transferred to the object. However, it is important to understand the differences between work and other forms of force and displacement. This is because different kinds of work require different types of forces and displacements. Let’s look at some common examples.
The basic difference between heat and work is their directionality. A system that experiences negative work experiences zero force. A coolie lifting a mass has a 90° angle to the force of gravity. The mass moves upward at a downward angle, creating positive work. The coolie’s body is moving at a 90° angle to the force of the mass. When adding a heat source to a system, the mass will experience positive work.
The second type of work is energy. The work done is done when an object is displaced. There must be a force component along its path to perform a change in position. A stationary heavy object does not do work, nor does a rope that is swinging around a heavy object. This is because the force on the rope is not in the same direction as the displacement. The energy is transferred in the second case when an arbitrary force acts on an object.
In a fluid, work is a measure of the amount of energy that a fluid can transfer to another object. The displacement of an object with respect to a force produces positive work. Conversely, a mass moving perpendicular to the force experiences negative work. During a cold winter night, a coolie lifts a mass by a force of gravity on the head. This mass moves at a 90° angle to the force of gravity, which results in zero work.
In the third example, a person who is frustrated is doing work when they push against an object that moves. For instance, a frustrated person pushing against a wall will not do any work, because the wall does not move. The book on the table would be considered to be displaced by gravity. Its position would change. Similarly, a person who is frustrated may do a lot of work in different fields. The third example is a CI worker who is a bit more flexible.
The scientific definition of work is not the same as the everyday meaning. In fact, it differs from what we consider to be work. The word “work” is used to refer to all kinds of physical activity. For example, a baseball player might throw a ball with a force of 10 or 20 Newtons. Moreover, the total amount of work is the same when the ball is dropped in the air. A baseball player might be throwing a ball with a force of 20 Newtons. A bat is a bat, a broom, or a basketball.