The sign of cosθ sorts every force into three regimes:
- θ<90∘: W>0, the work is motor — the force feeds energy into the motion;
- θ=90∘: W=0, the force works not at all, however large;
- θ>90∘: W<0, the work is resistive — the force drains energy. The pure case is a brake at 180∘: 800N over 45m takes 800×45×(−1)=−36kJ out of a car, into hot discs.