Can Someone Please Explain Positive Work, Negative Work, And No Work, Like In Physics?

Question

Like In Physics, You Know The Smart Way. No Stupid Answers

Answer 1

Roughly, Work is the energy that characterizes how effective a force is (moving or deforming objects).
Positive Work is produced, it is energy that is released. For example, if you oppose the north pole of a magnet to the south pole of another magnet then those magnets will move to opposite directions, away from each other. Work is produced by the magnetic force between them, because the force made them move.
Negative work is consumed, it is energy that is offered. For the previous example, bringing the opposite poles close to each other was achieved because of you offering energy, using a -let's say- mechanical force to move the naturally repulsed items. For you the work is positive, because you release it. For the magnets it is negative, because they accept it.
No work means no motion or deformation. Usually heat makes up for energy losses. Remember that work equations only refer to the same object, you do not add works on magnets and people, for instance.

Answer 2

Work is Force through a Distance. (W=F x d)
If you apply a force to an object and it moves in the direction of the force, you have done positive work.
If you apply a force to an object and it moves in the direction opposite to the force, you have done negative work.
If you apply force and the object doesn't move, you have done zero work.

Answer 3

the sign of work does not matter much. You are free-n-easy to take any one you like. The main thing is to write a correct balance of energies with proper signs.

Answer 4

positive work - when i feel happy after a short day's work

negative work - when i feel dead after a long day's work

no work - hehe holiday!!!!!

;p