Why is work negative? Physics Work and Energy Work 1 Answer Steve J. Mar 7, 2018 It depends on the viewpoint. Work done subtracts energy from the system that does the work, yet it may add energy to the system that the work was done on. Explanation: If you explained where you saw this, I believe I could explain. Answer link Related questions What is a force? What are some examples of work? What are some examples of displacement? How are force, energy, and work are related? How can I calculate the displacement of an object? How are work and kinetic energy related? How do you calculate the displacement of water? How do you calculate the force of gravity between two objects? 55,000J of work is done to move a rock 25m. How much force was applied? How can I calculate the amount of work done when moving a 567N crate a distance of 20 meters? See all questions in Work Impact of this question 6920 views around the world You can reuse this answer Creative Commons License