Work: Definition & Explanation

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Work is defined as the amount of energy exchanged when executing an action through a non-spontaneous method, with the equation W=Fd illustrating this concept. The discussion emphasizes that work done should be understood as the energy transferred to an object rather than the work performed by an agency, which clarifies potential confusion regarding efficiency. It is noted that a force must act over a distance for work to occur, as exemplified by the scenario of a weight on a table where no work is done unless the table fails. The preference for the term "energy transferred" is highlighted, as it applies to various contexts, including fields. Overall, the conversation seeks to refine the definition of work in physics for clarity and accuracy.
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Can work be explained in following context-

Work done is the amount of energy exchanged in executing an action through non-spontaneous method.
 
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Tony Stark said:
executing an action through non-spontaneous method.

What does this mean?
 
Tony Stark said:
Work done is the amount of energy exchanged
This is good. The rest seems wrong. The usual definition is "energy exchanged by any means other than heat"
 
I think the equation W=Fd explains it all. If a force acts on a body, it gives it energy, potential or kinetic, or it does work to the system.
 
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Tony Stark said:
through non-spontaneous method.
Just to add, say you cover up a positively charged magnet with a thick material so that it can't affect a nearby negatively charged particle. For one millisecond, you uncover the magnet and the particle quickly accelerates towards the magnet. This is spontaneous, is it not? Was work done? Yes.
 
Isaac0427 said:
I think the equation W=Fd explains it all. If a force acts on a body, it gives it energy, potential or kinetic, or it does work to the system.
It's probably better to say "acts for a distance" instead of "acts on a body" (put a weight on a table and a force is acting on the table but no work is being done - unless the table breaks under the load)... But with said, yes W=Fd does pretty much say it all.
 
Isaac0427 said:
I think the equation W=Fd explains it all. If a force acts on a body, it gives it energy, potential or kinetic, or it does work to the system.
I think that it should be made clearer that this is the definition of work done 'on' an object and not the work done 'by' an agency. This would remove the possible confusion when efficiency is brought in. The 'agency' could be doing much more work than is being usefully provided to the object.
 
Nugatory said:
It's probably better to say "acts for a distance" instead of "acts on a body" (put a weight on a table and a force is acting on the table but no work is being done - unless the table breaks under the load)... But with said, yes W=Fd does pretty much say it all.
I prefer the "energy transferred" definition because it applies for fields too, and it helps me keep things straight in complicated scenarios.
 
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