Proof of Work is a blockchain consensus mechanism where miners solve complex mathematical puzzles to validate transactions and add new blocks. The process requires significant computational power and energy. It’s designed to prevent spam and double-spending while ensuring network security. PoW also issues new coins as block rewards to incentivize miners.
Example:
Bitcoin uses PoW. Miners compete to find the correct hash for a block, and the winner adds that block to the chain and receives BTC as a reward.