Power (physics)

Power
Common symbols	P
SI unit	watt (W)
In SI base units	kg⋅m2⋅s−3
Derivations from other quantities	P = E/t P = F·v P = V·I P = τ·ω
Dimension	${\displaystyle {\mathsf {M}}{\mathsf {L}}^{2}{\mathsf {T}}^{-3}}$

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Classical mechanics
${\displaystyle {\textbf {F}}={\frac {d}{dt}}(m{\textbf {v}})}$ Second law of motion
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Core topics Damping Displacement Equations of motion Euler's laws of motion Fictitious force Friction Harmonic oscillator Inertial / Non-inertial reference frame Mechanics of planar particle motion Motion (linear) Newton's law of universal gravitation Newton's laws of motion Relative velocity Rigid body dynamics Euler's equations Simple harmonic motion Vibration
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In physics, power is the amount of energy transferred or converted per unit time. In the International System of Units, the unit of power is the watt, equal to one joule per second. In older works, power is sometimes called activity.^[1][2][3] Power is a scalar quantity.

Specifying power in particular systems may require attention to other quantities; for example, the power involved in moving a ground vehicle is the product of the aerodynamic drag plus traction force on the wheels, and the velocity of the vehicle. The output power of a motor is the product of the torque that the motor generates and the angular velocity of its output shaft. Likewise, the power dissipated in an electrical element of a circuit is the product of the current flowing through the element and of the voltage across the element.^[4][5]