Difference Between Work and Power

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	Force Displacement	Work done Time
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.

FAQs on Difference Between Work and Power

What is SI unit of work?

The SI unit of work is Joule(J)

What is the formula for work and power?

The formula of work and power are as follows:

• Work(W) = FS cosθ
• Power(P) = W/T

What is the relation between work and power?

The relation between work and power is as follows: Power = Work/Time ( P = W/T)

Is work a scalar or vector?

Work is a scalar quantity because it has only magnitude and lacks of direction.

What are the three formulas for power?

The following are the three formulas for power: P = VI, P = E/T, P = W/T. Here, in these formulas, P is Power, V is Potential Difference, T is Time, E is energy and W is work done.

Is energy and power are same?

No, energy and power are not same. Energy is ability to do work while power is rate of consumption of energy