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The main difference between work and power is that work is described as the amount of energy required to move a body to a certain distance through the force applied, whereas power can be defined as the rate at which the energy is transferred.
‘Work’ and ‘Power’ are two of the many fascinating ideas found in the field of Physics. Understanding the meanings of these phrases and how they vary from one another is essential. Let us look at them in detail in this article.
Table of Contents
What is Work?
In physics, work is defined as the energy required to move a certain object by the application of force. Joule (J) i the SI unit used to measure work.
What is Power?
The amount of energy transferred within a specific period is known as power. The SI unit of power is the Watt (W), which is equivalent to Joule per second (J/S).
What is the difference between Work and Power?
Understanding the difference between work and power in a table format will be better and easier. Below is a small table to understand the 2-
| Work | Power | |
| Definition | Amount of energy to move an object through force applied | Power is the rate at which the energy is transferred while doing a work |
| SI Unit | The SI unit of work is Joule (J) | The SI unit of power is Watt (W) |
| Other Units | Can also be measured in other units like Electron Volt (eV), kWh, MWh, and GWh | Other units of power- Horsepower (hp), kW, MW, and GW |
| Formula | Work = Force x Displacement | Power = Work / Time |
| Physical Quantity | Work is a scalar quantity. | Power is also a scalar quantity. |
| Factors that Affect | Force and Displacement | Work and Time |
| Time Dependency | Independent | Time-Independent Quantity |
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Work Formula
Work can be calculated with W = F x D, where
W = Work
F = Force, and
D = Displacement
Real-Time Work Examples
Some real-time work examples are-
- Door Opening and Closing
- Rock Climbing
- Riding a Bike
Power Formula
Power can be calculated with P = W / T, where
P = Power
W = Work, and
T = Time
Real-Time Power Examples
- Electronic device usage, like phone and laptop charging
- Cooling of AC
- Usage of a grinder
Sample Question
These are two sample questions for Work an Power:
Work
Acting parallel to the surface, a body is moved horizontally on a floor by a 200N force. Find out the amount of work done through a distance of 9 m.
Solution:
Given:
F = 200N, D = 9 m
W = F x D
W = 200 x 9
W = 1800 J
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Power
A garage hoist lifts a car 5 meters above the ground in 30 seconds. Find the power delivered to the car. The mass of the car is said to be 1000kg.
Firstly, we need to know the work done, which requires the force necessary to lift the car against gravity:
F = mg = 1000 x 9.81 = 9810N
W = FD = 9810N x 5m = 49050 Nm = 49050J
Now, P = W/T = 49050J / 30s = 1635 J/s = 1635W
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FAQs
Since work has only magnitude but no direction, it is a scaler quantity.
A simple equation to calculate work is Force x Displacement.
When talking about work, energy and power, all three are related to each other.
Power can be calculated in Watt (W).
Power is a scaler quantity as it is the ratio of 2 scalar quantities.
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