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Work — How Force Creates Change - Leejohnston - 01-08-2026
## Work — How Force Creates Change
### 1. The Equation
Work = Force × Distance
W = Fd
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### 2. What Each Symbol Means
- W = work (joules)
- F = force (newtons)
- d = distance moved in the direction of the force (metres)
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### 3. What the Equation Is Telling Us
Work is done **only when a force causes movement**.
No movement → no work.
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### 4. Where It Comes From (Intuition)
Pushing a wall applies force — but if it doesn’t move, no work is done.
Moving an object transfers energy into or out of it.
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### 5. Worked Example
If:
- Force = 50 N
- Distance = 4 m
Work = 50 × 4
= **200 joules**
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### 6. Real-World Applications
- Lifting objects
- Engines and machines
- Sports performance
- Energy transfer
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### 7. Common Misconceptions
- Effort always means work → false
- Holding something still does work → false
- Work and power are the same → false
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### Try It Yourself
Why does carrying a heavy bag horizontally do little work?