Work, Energy and Power

This lesson covers work done, kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy, power, and efficiency — as required by the Edexcel GCSE Physics specification (1PH0), Topic 1: Key Concepts of Physics. You need to be able to calculate each of these quantities and understand how energy is transferred in different situations.

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Work Done

When a force moves an object through a distance, work is done. Work done is a measure of the energy transferred.

work done = force × distance (in the direction of the force)

$W = Fs$W=Fs

Where:

• W = work done (J)
• F = force (N)
• s = distance moved in the direction of the force (m)

Key Points