Work is defined as?

• A. The rate at which work is done.
• B. The energy stored in an object.
• C. The product of force and distance.
• D. The force needed to move an object.

Answer: (C)

Work is the transfer of energy that occurs when a force moves an object. The amount of work equals the force applied times the distance the object moves in the same direction as that force. In general, W = F × d, or W = F d cos theta when the force isn’t exactly along the motion. This is why describing work as the product of force and distance is the best match. Power, the rate of doing work, is different, and energy stored in an object refers to potential or other forms of energy, not the act of doing work itself. For example, pushing a box with 5 N for 3 m in the push direction does 15 joules of work.