Mechanical Work

Mechanical work, in the context of rigid body mechanics, refers to the energy transferred when a force acts on an object and causes it to move. It is calculated by multiplying the force applied to the object by the distance it moves in the direction of that force. When you push a heavy box and it slides across the floor, you're doing mechanical work. If there's no movement, or the force is perpendicular to the movement, no work is done. Work is a crucial concept in understanding how forces affect the motion of objects.