What Is the Relationship Between Power and Work? It's Simpler Than You Think
Defining the basics: what is work in physics?
Let’s start with the classic, textbook definition. In physics, work is done when a force moves an object over a distance. That’s it.
So if you push a box across the floor, congratulations—you’ve done work (finally, some recognition).
The formula?
Work (W) = Force × Distance × cos(θ)
Where θ is the angle between the force and the direction of motion. If you're just pushing straight ahead, it’s zero. Cos(0) = 1, so all good.
But wait—what about just holding a heavy bag still? Arms burning, sweat dripping… sorry, no work done. No movement = no work. Physics can be kinda rude like that.
And power? It’s all about how fast you get it done
Now we bring in power, the cool cousin of work.
Power (P) = Work / Time
So yeah, power is the rate at which work is done.
Imagine two people running up the same flight of stairs. Same weight, same stairs, same gravitational pull (unless one’s on Mars, but let’s not go there). The one who gets to the top faster used more power. More watts, more hustle.
Units matter
Work = Joules (J)
Power = Watts (W), and 1 Watt = 1 Joule per second
So if you do 100 Joules of work in 10 seconds, your power output is 10 Watts. Easy math, right?
Real-life example: lifting weights
Let’s say you're deadlifting 50 kg. You lift the bar 1 meter. That’s about 490 Newtons of force (mass × gravity), so:
Work = 490 × 1 = 490 Joules
Now let’s say you do it in 2 seconds:
Power = 490 / 2 = 245 Watts
But if your gym buddy does it in 1 second? He pulls 490 Watts. Show-off.
More power doesn’t always mean more work
Here’s where it gets tricky. You can do the same amount of work over different time spans and have very different power outputs.
Think of a slow elevator vs. a high-speed one. Both lift you to the same floor (same work), but the faster one uses more power. It’s not lazy—it’s just not in a rush.
Inversely, no power without work?
Well... not quite. If you do no work, then yeah, technically your power is zero. But just standing around burns calories too (life is sneaky like that). Biologically speaking, your body still does work internally.
But physics? Physics says: "Move something or go home."
The deeper connection: energy transfer
Work is a transfer of energy. Power is how fast that transfer happens.
They’re like the engine and the speedometer of a car. Work tells you how much fuel you burned, power tells you how fast you're flooring it.
Final thoughts: work and power go hand in hand—but aren't twins
So, what’s the relationship between power and work?
Simple: Power is the speed at which you do work.
No work, no power. But doing work faster? That’s power in action.
Now whether we apply this to engines, athletes, or just getting off the couch—that’s where it gets interesting.
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Is 172 cm good for a man?
Yes it is. Average height of male in India is 166.3 cm (i.e. 5 ft 5.5 inches) while for female it is 152.6 cm (i.e. 5 ft) approximately. So, as far as your question is concerned, aforesaid height is above average in both cases.
Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?
The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.
Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?
How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).
How tall is a average 15 year old?
Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years
| Male Teens: 13 - 20 Years) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 14 Years | 112.0 lb. (50.8 kg) | 64.5" (163.8 cm) |
| 15 Years | 123.5 lb. (56.02 kg) | 67.0" (170.1 cm) |
| 16 Years | 134.0 lb. (60.78 kg) | 68.3" (173.4 cm) |
| 17 Years | 142.0 lb. (64.41 kg) | 69.0" (175.2 cm) |
How to get taller at 18?
Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.
Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?
Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).
Can you grow between 16 and 18?
Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.
Can you grow 1 cm after 17?
Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.