Define one joule of work?

Question: Define one joule of work?

One of the most fundamental concepts in physics is work. Work is a measure of how much energy is transferred by a force acting on an object over a distance. The unit of work is the joule (J), named after the English physicist James Prescott Joule. One joule of work is defined as the amount of work done when a force of one newton (N) moves an object by one meter (m) in the direction of the force. For example, if you lift a book with a mass of 1 kg by 1 m, you do about 10 J of work, since the gravitational force on the book is about 10 N. Similarly, if you push a box with a force of 20 N by 2 m, you also do 40 J of work. Work can be positive or negative, depending on whether the force and the displacement are in the same or opposite directions. For instance, if you lower a book by 1 m, you do -10 J of work, since the force and the displacement are opposite. Work can also be zero, if there is no displacement or no force. For example, if you hold a book at rest, you do no work on it, even though you are applying a force to counteract gravity.