What unit is work measured in?
2 Answers
Work is measured in units of energy, and in the International System of Units (SI), it is measured in **joules**.
Here's a bit more detail:
1. **Joule (J)**: The joule is the standard unit of work in the SI system. One joule is defined as the amount of work done when a force of one newton moves an object one meter in the direction of the force. Mathematically, it can be expressed as:
\[ \text{Work} = \text{Force} \times \text{Distance} \]
So, in SI units:
\[ \text{Work (in joules)} = \text{Force (in newtons)} \times \text{Distance (in meters)} \]
Therefore, 1 joule equals 1 newton-meter.
2. **Other Units**:
- **Calorie**: In some contexts, particularly in chemistry and nutrition, work might be measured in calories. One calorie is equivalent to about 4.184 joules.
- **Foot-pound**: In the British Imperial system, work is sometimes measured in foot-pounds. One foot-pound is the work done when a force of one pound-force moves an object one foot in the direction of the force. One foot-pound is approximately equal to 1.3558 joules.
In summary, while the joule is the standard unit of work in the SI system, other units like calories or foot-pounds can be used depending on the context.
Here's a bit more detail:
1. **Joule (J)**: The joule is the standard unit of work in the SI system. One joule is defined as the amount of work done when a force of one newton moves an object one meter in the direction of the force. Mathematically, it can be expressed as:
\[ \text{Work} = \text{Force} \times \text{Distance} \]
So, in SI units:
\[ \text{Work (in joules)} = \text{Force (in newtons)} \times \text{Distance (in meters)} \]
Therefore, 1 joule equals 1 newton-meter.
2. **Other Units**:
- **Calorie**: In some contexts, particularly in chemistry and nutrition, work might be measured in calories. One calorie is equivalent to about 4.184 joules.
- **Foot-pound**: In the British Imperial system, work is sometimes measured in foot-pounds. One foot-pound is the work done when a force of one pound-force moves an object one foot in the direction of the force. One foot-pound is approximately equal to 1.3558 joules.
In summary, while the joule is the standard unit of work in the SI system, other units like calories or foot-pounds can be used depending on the context.