What is power

What is power? How many types of power there are?

In Physics and Engineering there are 4 type of power: mechanical, electrical, thermal and radiant power.

The power is something that we can’t see itself, but we can see its effects in the physical world and in social interactions. We can measure power, and observe how it affects the world around us. For example:

• we can see the light from a light bulb, which is the result of electrical power.
• we can see a car moving, which is the result of mechanical power.
• we can see a fan spinning, which shows the effect of electrical power being converted to mechanical power.
• we can see heat from a heater, which is the result of electrical power being converted to thermal power.

Also we can feel the power. We feel the effects of power through our sense of touch and proprioception (our body’s sense of its own position and movement).
How? Let’s see its Physical exertion:

• When we lift a heavy object, we feel the force required, which relates to the power we are exerting.
• When we run, we feel the physical effort, which is the sensation of our body using power to move.
• We can feel the power of a strong wind pushing against us.
• We can feel the power of a car engine as it accelerates.  

Energy and power are connected. Lets find how:

Energy is like the “go juice” that makes the car move. It’s what lets things happen.

Power is how fast you use that “go juice.”

• A fast superhero has lots of power because they can move super quickly!
• A bright light bulb has more power than a dim one because it uses more “go juice” (electricity) to shine brightly.
• When you run up the stairs, you use more power than when you walk up them. You are using the same amount of energy, but you are using it much faster.

Power is like how quickly you can do something! In simpler terms, it’s how quickly energy is used.

Think of it this way: if you lift a heavy object quickly, you’re exerting more power than if you lift it slowly. Similarly, a high-wattage light bulb emits more light (and thus uses more energy per second) than a low-wattage one.

The power is measured in (Watts).

Power and energy are closely related but distinct concepts.  

• Energy:
  • Energy is the capacity to do work. It’s the “what” that enables things to happen.  
  • It’s a quantity that can be stored, transferred, or transformed.  
  • Examples: Kinetic energy (energy of motion), potential energy (stored energy), electrical energy, thermal energy.
  • The standard unit of energy is the joule (J).  
• Power:
  • Power is the rate at which energy is transferred or used. It’s the “how fast” energy is being used.  
  • It tells us how quickly work is being done.
  • Examples: A high-power engine can accelerate a car quickly, meaning it transfers a lot of energy in a short time. A high-wattage light bulb uses electrical energy rapidly to produce light.  
  • The standard unit of power is the watt (W), which is equal to one joule per second (J/s).  

Relationship between power and energy:

• Power is the rate of energy use. You can think of it like this:
  • Energy is the total amount of water in a tank.
  • Power is how quickly that water is flowing out of the tank.
• A high-power device uses a lot of energy in a short amount of time. A low-power device uses less energy in the same amount of time.  
• Therefore:
  • Power = Energy / Time  
  • Energy = Power x Time  

In simpler terms imagine running up a flight of stairs. The total effort you expend is the energy. How fast you run up those stairs is the power.