Obviously, the workspace can contain physical parts and so on but, does placing a script in ServerScriptService rather than putting it in the Workspace change anything about the script or how it would work?
Yes it does, depending on the contents inside the script, and what script it is
ReplicatedStorage: Used to put things into it to be both accessible to client and server. It differs from lighting since lighting has properties and has other ways to be used besides shoving stuff into it.
ScriptServerService: Runs scripts like they were in the workspace. It appears empty to the client.
ServerStorage: Same as Replicated storage, but only for the server. It appears empty to the client.
But, most of the time it wouldnt matter whether you put it in Workspace or in ServerScriptService.