3.4.1.7

Power is the rate of doing work

Work, Energy & Power — AQA A-Level Physics

Key Definition
Power — The rate of energy transfer or the rate of doing work. Unit: watt (W). 1 W = 1 J s^-1.
$$\begin{aligned} P &= IV \\ &= \(I^{2}\)R \\ &= \frac{\(V^{2}\)}{R} \end{aligned}$$
$$P = \frac{\Delta W}{\Delta t}$$
  • $P$: powerThe rate of energy transfer. Measured in watts (W). (W)
  • $ΔW$: work doneEnergy transferred when a force moves an object. In electrical circuits, W = QV (chargeA property of matter that causes it to experience a force in an electromagnetic field. Measured in coulombs (C). times potential difference). (J)
  • $Δt$: time taken (s)
$$P = Fv$$
  • $P$: power (W)
  • $F$: force in direction of velocityThe rate of change of displacement. A vector quantity. Measured in m s⁻¹. (N)
  • $v$: velocityThe rate of change of displacement. A vector quantity. Measured in m s⁻¹. (m s⁻¹)
Work, Energy & Power Overview