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The ancient Greek understanding of physics was limited to the statics of simple machines (the balance of forces), and did not include dynamics or the concept of work. During the Renaissance the dynamics of the Mechanical Powers, as the simple machines were called, began to be studied from the standpoint of how far they could lift a load, in addition to the force they could apply, leading ...
Energy is defined via work, so the SI unit of energy is the same as the unit of work – the joule (J), named in honour of James Prescott Joule [1] and his experiments on the mechanical equivalent of heat. In slightly more fundamental terms, 1 joule is equal to 1 newton metre and, in terms of SI base units
This is the definition declared in the modern International System of Units in 1960. [13] The definition of the joule as J = kg⋅m 2 ⋅s −2 has remained unchanged since 1946, but the joule as a derived unit has inherited changes in the definitions of the second (in 1960 and 1967), the metre (in 1983) and the kilogram . [14]
In the International System of Units, the unit of power is the watt, equal to one joule per second. Power is a scalar quantity. Specifying power in particular systems may require attention to other quantities; for example, the power involved in moving a ground vehicle is the product of the aerodynamic drag plus traction force on the wheels, and ...
PV work is often measured in units of litre-atmospheres where 1 L·atm = 101.325 J. However, the litre-atmosphere is not a recognized unit in the SI system of units, which measures P in pascals (Pa), V in m 3, and PV in joules (J), where 1 J = 1 Pa·m 3. PV work is an important topic in chemical thermodynamics.
The erg is a unit of energy equal to 10 −7 joules (100 nJ). It is not an SI unit, instead originating from the centimetre–gram–second system of units (CGS). Its name is derived from ergon (ἔργον), a Greek word meaning 'work' or 'task'. [1] An erg is the amount of work done by a force of one dyne exerted for a distance of one centimetre.
The work per unit of charge is defined by moving a negligible test charge between two points, and is expressed as the difference in electric potential at those points. The work can be done, for example, by electrochemical devices ( electrochemical cells ) or different metals junctions [ clarification needed ] generating an electromotive force .
In terms of electromagnetism, one watt is the rate at which electrical work is performed when a current of one ampere (A) flows across an electrical potential difference of one volt (V), meaning the watt is equivalent to the volt-ampere (the latter unit, however, is used for a different quantity from the real power of an electrical circuit).