Editing Work (physics) (section)

==Units==
The [[International System of Units|SI]] unit of work is the [[joule]] (J), named after English physicist [[James Prescott Joule]] (1818-1889). According to the [[International Bureau of Weights and Measures]] it is defined as "the work done when the point of application of 1 [[MKS units|MKS unit]] of force [newton] moves a distance of 1 metre in the direction of the force."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Resolution 2 (1946) |url=https://www.bipm.org/en/committees/ci/cipm/41-1946/resolution-2 |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=BIPM |language=en-US}}</ref>

The dimensionally equivalent [[newton-metre]] (N⋅m) is sometimes used as the measuring unit for work, but this can be confused with the measurement unit of [[torque]]. Usage of N⋅m is discouraged by the [[General Conference on Weights and Measures|SI authority]], since it can lead to confusion as to whether the quantity expressed in newton-metres is a torque measurement, or a measurement of work.<ref>{{Cite book |chapter-url=http://www.bipm.org/en/si/si_brochure/chapter2/2-2/2-2-2.html |chapter=Units with special names and symbols; units that incorporate special names and symbols |title=The International System of Units (SI) |edition=8th |date=2006 |publisher=[[International Bureau of Weights and Measures]] |access-date=2012-10-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130420184231/http://www.bipm.org/en/si/si_brochure/chapter2/2-2/2-2-2.html |archive-date=2013-04-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Another unit for work is the [[Foot-pound (energy)|foot-pound]], which comes from the English system of measurement. As the unit name suggests, it is the product of pounds for the unit of force and feet for the unit of displacement. One joule is approximately equal to 0.7376&nbsp;ft-lbs.<ref>{{cite book | vauthors=((Shortley, G.)), ((Williams, D.)) | title=Elements of Physics: For Students of Science and Engineering | isbn=978-0-13-268375-3}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book |title=World of physics |date=May 5, 2010 |publisher=Gale |isbn=978-0-7876-3651-7 |editor-last=McGrath |editor-first=Kimberley A. |edition=1st |location=Detroit |at=Work and potential energy |language=English}}</ref>

Non-SI units of work include the newton-metre, [[erg]], the foot-pound, the [[foot-poundal]], the [[kilowatt hour]], the [[litre-atmosphere]], and the [[horsepower-hour]].  Due to work having the same [[Dimensional analysis|physical dimension]] as [[heat]], occasionally measurement units typically reserved for heat or energy content, such as [[therm]], [[BTU]] and [[calorie]], are used as a measuring unit.