Book 22, Question 15
What Does “Work” Mean in Science?
In everyday talk, work means a job or a task. But in science, work has a special meaning. In science, work happens only when a force moves something.
More fun facts
- In science, work means using a force to move something over a distance.
- The object has to move in the same direction you push or pull.
- Lifting a rock off the ground is work.
- Carrying a rock across the lawn at a steady speed isn't work in the science sense.
- Homework isn't work either, because nothing is being moved over a distance.
- When you do work on an object, you change its energy.
Sources: openstax.org
Questions kids ask
What unit is work measured in?
Work is measured in joules, named after the scientist James Joule. Energy uses the same unit.