Energy/Talk

If Energy is defined as the ability to do work, I don't think work can be considered as a form of energy. Work is the result of the application of energy, but is not a form of energy.

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In physics, work is a name to describe how much energy has gone in to a task. It is equal to force * distance and is measured in joules, so it definitely is a form of energy. -- sodium

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More precisely, work is the mechanical process whereby energy is transfered from one form to another. For example when force from a potential field is applied over a given distance, such that work, W, is applied to the body, the kinetic energy of the body increases by the amount W, while the potential energy decreases by the same amount (W). In this sense, work is not itself energy, but refers to the amount of energy that is transferred from one form to another.--Matt Stoker