What describes a force that acts over a distance to do work?

The concept of "work" is defined in physics as the product of a force applied to an object and the distance over which that force is applied. It is a measure of energy transfer that occurs when an object is moved in the direction of the applied force. To quantify work, the formula used is:

Work = Force × Distance × cos(θ)

where θ is the angle between the force and the direction of motion. This indicates that the application of force over a distance is essential for work to be done, making it the correct choice in this context.

In contrast, other terms such as pressure, torque, and energy pertain to different concepts. Pressure refers to force exerted per unit area and does not encompass the idea of acting over a distance in the context of work. Torque involves rotational force and is related to the turning effect on an object rather than the linear movement defined by work. Energy, while related to work since it is the capacity to do work, does not directly designate the action of force applied over a distance. Therefore, the accurate option that precisely captures the definition of a force acting over a distance to perform work is "work" itself.