Work
- id: 1721571098
- Date: Feb. 15, 2025, 5:18 p.m.
- Author:
- Goals
- Describe work
- Skillfully use the concept of work for practical tasks: design, problem solving, math modeling and such
Work (What)
Work is any energy transfer at a system boundary that is not heat transfer.
In practical terms, work is a force acting over at distance or flow of electricity and so on. Thus, work is useful for many things: running a chain saw, powering a car, pumping water, moving a conveyer belt, and so on.
Analysis of the Definition
Here is a breakdown of the nomenclature in the definition.
- Energy Transfer
- An interaction at a system boundary that adds or removes energy from the matter inside the system.
- Energy
- Energy is a property of matter that characterizes the sum total of the heat plus work that can be done with this matter .
- System
- A system is matter of fixed identity that has been identified for analysis. Everything else in the universe is the surroundings.
- Boundary
- Interface between the system and its surroundings.
- Heat Transfer
- The transfer of thermal energy from hot to cold that is driven by a temperature difference.
Rationale
It is super useful to understand work because this knowledge can be applied to design machines etc. that do work for us. Also, this is key for understanding and applying energy.
Skill with Work (How To)
Think about work and do calculating by tying everything to the First Law of Thermodynamics (Amount Form)