How is work defined in the context of physics?

In physics, work is defined as the product of force applied to an object and the distance over which that force is applied, which directly corresponds to the third option. When a force acts on an object and causes it to move in the direction of the force, work is done. The formula for calculating work is given as:

[ \text{Work} = \text{Force} \times \text{Distance} \times \cos(\theta) ]

where θ is the angle between the direction of the force and the direction of motion. If the force is applied in the same direction as the movement, θ is 0 degrees, and cos(0) equals 1, simplifying the equation to just force times distance.

This definition captures the essence of work in a mechanical context: it quantifies how much force is effectively contributing to the movement of an object over a distance. The other options either misrepresent the concept of work or relate to different physical terms, such as energy transfer, time, or power, but do not accurately define work itself.