Work Done
Calculator
Results
- Net work (J)
- 3,000
Physics results
| Net work (J) | 3,000 |
formula-map diagram
- Net work (J)
- 3,000
Physical relationship
Formula
W = F × d × cos(θ)= 3000
Note
This result applies an idealized textbook equation to the numbers you entered; it ignores air resistance, material tolerances and other real-world losses.
More in Physics and engineering
See all →Frequently asked questions
What does the formula W = Fd·cos(θ) calculate?+
It calculates the work done by a force moving an object through a displacement, accounting for the angle between the force's direction and the direction of motion. Only the component of force acting along the direction of movement actually does work; the rest is 'wasted' in a physics sense, even if it doesn't feel that way.
Why is work zero when force is applied perpendicular to motion?+
Because cos(90°) = 0, a force applied entirely at right angles to an object's displacement contributes nothing to work, no matter how large that force is. This is why carrying a heavy bag while walking horizontally does no work against gravity even though you're exerting real physical effort — the force (supporting the bag's weight, vertical) is perpendicular to the motion (horizontal).
Can work be negative, and what does that mean physically?+
Yes — when the force has a component opposite to the direction of motion (angle greater than 90 degrees), work is negative, meaning the force removes energy from the object's motion rather than adding to it. Friction acting against a sliding object is the classic example: it does negative work, slowing the object down.
Why doesn't holding a heavy object still count as doing work in physics, even though it's tiring?+
Work requires displacement — if the object doesn't move (d = 0), no work is done on it regardless of how much force you apply or how much muscular effort it costs you. The tiring feeling comes from continuous microscopic muscle contractions maintaining the force, which is a biological energy cost, not mechanical work in the physics sense.
How is work related to energy?+
Work is the mechanism by which energy transfers into or out of a system — doing positive work on an object increases its energy (often kinetic, per the work-energy theorem), while negative work removes it. This is why work and energy share the same unit, the joule, and why calculating work is often the first step toward finding a change in an object's kinetic or potential energy.