What is Work?

Work is how much energy is used to do something. Work is equal to force times distance.

Positive work is if the distance and force are in the same direction. Negative work is when the distance and force are in opposite direction.

If you hold a ball over your head, that is not work. This is because a force must effect the distance for it to be work. Lifting a ball to your head is work.

You will always see work only if the force is unbalanced.

What is Energy?

Energy is the ability to form work. There are different forms of energy

Forms of Energy

• Potential Energy
  • Potential energy is when the energy is stored in an object and ready to to work.
  • When a spring is stretched, it is potential energy.
• Kinetic Energy
  • Kinetic energy is when the energy forms motion.
  • When a spring is released, it is kinetic energy.

How Energy changes

The Law of Conservation of Energy is a theory that energy cannot be made or destroyed. A roller coaster cannot lose potential energy without gaining kinetic energy. When the roller coaster slows down, the lost energy is converted into sound and heat by friction.