## work

$\Delta G^{\circ} = -nFE_{cell}^{\circ}$

Ami_Pant_4G
Posts: 106
Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2019 12:17 am

### work

Will work always negative, because work should not be done on the system (which in this case is the battery system)? Thanks in advance.

Paige Lee 1A
Posts: 136
Joined: Sat Sep 07, 2019 12:16 am

### Re: work

Work is negative when energy is leaving the system

Rebecca Remple 1C
Posts: 137
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:16 am
Been upvoted: 1 time

### Re: work

Ami_Pant_4G wrote:Will work always negative, because work should not be done on the system (which in this case is the battery system)? Thanks in advance.

Hi Ami,
A negative sign for work indicates that energy is leaving the system. Negative work means that the system does work on its surroundings.
A positive sign for work indicates that energy has increased in the system. Positive work means that the surroundings have performed work on the system.
I'm not sure what battery system you are referring to in your question. Are you asking about the Galvanic cell? Let me know if you need any further clarification :)
-Rebecca

Hussain Chharawalla 1G
Posts: 100
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2019 12:15 am

### Re: work

I may be wrong but I believe you are referring to the concept of deltaG=work(max). In the case of a battery, deltaG will always be negative so I believe work will also be negative.

Jamie Lee 1F
Posts: 106
Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2019 12:16 am

### Re: work

When the system does work, it should be negative since energy is leaving the system. If work is done on the system, energy increases so it would be positive.

sarahsalama2E
Posts: 164
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2019 12:16 am

### Re: work

Work is negative when the system does it, and work is positive when work is done on the system. You can think of it like the system doing the work, the work leaves the system and is getting "Released."

Posts: 45
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2019 12:16 am

### Re: work

If a system is doing work on its surroundings, then work is being lost and work is negative. If the surroundings are doing work on the system, then work is being gained and work is positive. In the case of a battery, the system is doing work so the amount of energy that leaves the system is negative.

KHowe_1D
Posts: 103
Joined: Thu Jul 25, 2019 12:15 am
Been upvoted: 1 time

### Re: work

Work will be negative when it is done by the system and will be positive when work is done on the system.

Anushka Chauhan2B
Posts: 51
Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2019 12:16 am

### Re: work

When energy leaves the system, work is negative