Difference Between Work and Power (original) (raw)
Last Updated : 23 Jul, 2025
Work and Power are the two important terms in physics. To move a body, a certain amount of energy is required, this amount of energy is defined as work and the rate at which the energy is transferred is defined as Power. This two terms are quite similar however they have several differences. The differences between work and power are given below in this article.
What is Work?
Work is defined as the transfer of energy by applying force to move a body. Work is defined as the product of force and displacement of a body along the direction of force. Mathematically, work can be expressed as
**W = FS cosθ
where,
- W = work done
- F = the applied force
- S = the displacement of the body
- θ = the angle between force and displacement.
The factors affect the work are as follows
- The applied force
- The displacement of a body
What is Power?
Power is expressed as the amount of energy transferred in unit time. Mathematically, power can be expressed as
**P = W/T
where,
- P = power
- W = work done
- T = time
The factors affect the power are as follows
- The work done
- Time
Difference Between Work and Power
The differences between work and power are mentioned in the table below:
| Particulars | Work | Power |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Work is defined as the transfer of energy by applying force to move a body. Work is defined as the product of force and displacement of a body along the direction of force. | Power is expressed as the amount of energy transferred in unit time. |
| Formula | W = FS cosθ | P = W/T |
| SI unit | SI unit of work is Joule (J). | SI unit of power is Watt (W) or joule/second. |
| Other units | Other units are electron volt (eV), kWh, MWh, and GWh. | Other units are horsepower (hp), kW, MW, and GW. |
| Dimension | [M L2 T-2] | [M L2 T-3] |
| Factors affecting | ForceDisplacement | Work doneTime |
| Depends on time | Work is not dependent on time. | Power is dependent on time. |
Conclusion
Both work and power are important in our daily life because it's basic and essential. In our daily life, we need the power to perform a task and that task is work. Without power, we can not do work. Energy/power is necessary to do any work whether you get up from bed, do your daily routine which obviously is workforce and for that also you are required to have power.
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