Work Done (AQA GCSE Physics): Revision Note

Work Done

• Work is done when an object is moved over a distance by a force applied in the direction of its displacement

  • It is said that the force does work on the object

  • If a force is applied to an object but doesn’t result in any movement, no work is done

Work is done when a force is used to move an object

Examples of Work

• Work is done on a ball when it is lifted to a height above the ground

The weight of the ball produced by the gravitational field does work on the ball over a distance equal to the height of the ball

• Work is done when a bird flies through the air

Air resistance (drag) does work against the bird as it flies through the air

Calculating Work Done

• The amount of work that is done is related to the size of the force and the distance moved by the object in the direction of the force

• To calculate the amount of work done on an object by a force the following formula is used

W = F × s

• Where:

  • W = work done in Joules (J) or newton-metres (N m)

  • F = force in Newtons (N)

  • s = distance in metres (m)

• This equation can be rearranged with the help of a formula triangle