Work:

In its technical sense, work is the product of force and distance, and work is done only when a force causes movement.  We can see this by the formula:

Work = Force x Distance

We normally measure distance in feet or inches, and force in pounds or ounces.  This allows us to measure work in foot-pounds or inch-ounces.

Example:

To find the amount of work done when a 500 pound load is lifted for a distance of 6 feet, we can use the formula:

Work        = Force x Distance

                = 500 X 6

               = 3,000 foot-pounds