Work Calculator

Work is the energy transferred to an object when a force moves it through a distance. It equals the force times the distance times the cosine of the angle between them. For a 100 N force pushing an object 5 m straight along the motion, the work is 500 J.

Work is measured in joules (J) — one joule is the work done by a force of one newton moving an object one metre in the direction of the force. Because work is energy transferred, it shares the joule with every other form of energy, so the result is directly comparable to kinetic, potential, or heat energy.

Only the part of the force that points along the motion does work, and the cosine picks out exactly that component. At 0° the force is fully aligned with the motion, so cos(0) is 1 and all of it counts. At 90° the force is sideways and does no work at all, which is why carrying a bag horizontally does zero work.

Yes — when the force opposes the motion, at any angle greater than 90°, the cosine is negative and so is the work. A force of 10 N acting directly against a 10 m motion at 180° does −100 J. Negative work means energy is being taken out of the object's motion, as happens with friction or braking.

Anywhere a force moves something: lifting a load against gravity, pushing a cart, sizing machines and motors, and analysing exercise and sport. Engineers use it to size actuators and check energy budgets, and it is the bridge between force and energy — work done equals energy transferred.