All Questions
Tagged with energy potential-energy
480
questions
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First principle of thermodynamics with kinetic and potential energies
Edit: Sometimes the first principle is stated as $Q+W=\Delta U\;+\Delta K\;+\Delta P$ (1). I assumed that the expression comes from the more elementary principle $Q+W_{total}=\Delta U$. On the one ...
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3
answers
88
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Consolidating two ways to calculate work
I was wondering if I could get some help closing some fundamental gaps in my intuition of work, as it relates to force and distance travelled.
Scenario
Say we pull a 1kg box along the ground. We pull ...
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1
answer
235
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How to derive bound and unbound states for an absolute value potential?
How do you find for what range of energies the absolute value potential has bound and unbound states?
What I have understood from my previous Intro to Quantum lectures are that in order to derive the ...
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1
answer
91
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Kinetic and Potential Energy of a multi degree of freedom (MDOF) system
Consider the following MDOF system:
$M\ddot x+Kx=F$
where $M$ and $K$ are the mass and stiffness matrix respectively, and $x$ and $F$ are the displacement and force vectors.
How can one determine the ...
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1
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83
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Kinetic energy conservation in different reference frame
Let us assume that there is a bowl fixed on a table. The radius is R. There is a small ball on the top such that it has a potential energy of $mgR$. When the ball is dropped, at its lowest point it ...
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5
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97
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How can potential energy increase? [closed]
If work is done on a body, the energy of the body increases. If work is done by the body, energy decreases. When we take a body up to some height, some work is done by us on the body, which is stored ...
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2
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212
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Why does GPE convert to kinetic energy? [closed]
What is it about GPE that makes it transfer to kinetic energy, why does it do this? What is GPE?
2
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2
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105
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How does some matter prevent other matter from reaching a lower potential energy state?
Before answering the question, keep in mind that I am a second year Biology student, with no experience in studying Physics and I consider myself 'mathematically illiterate'.
An example of matter ...
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5
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219
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Why is all matter in the universe, not found at its lowest state of potential energy? [closed]
Preface: it may be of interest that I am a second year Biology student, with no experience in studying Physics and a very basic understanding of Mathematics. ...
1
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2
answers
155
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Is Energy stored Force?
I am currently studying the relationships between energy work and force. I am trying to conceptualize them into one concept of causality. When a force is applied work is done, and energy is ...
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3
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620
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If energy is a scalar quantity, how can it be negative?
We are studying electrical potential energy in my high school class. I was originally taught that energy is a scalar identity, but the electrical field equation says that there can be negative ...
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1
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26
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Right displacement in spring potential energy [closed]
I have a doubt in general, the above problem is an example.
Here , the elastic string can be treated as a spring and we know the potential energy of a spring is $\frac{1}{2} k (x_f-x_i)^2$
So , ...
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1
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126
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Energy conservation (Surface Energy of a liquid drop)
Suppose, there are n identical liquid drops of radius r, which combines together to form a bigger drop of radius R.
If we try to calculate their surface energy then the surface energy of bigger drop ...
3
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4
answers
755
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Why do we say that gravity did work on an object to give it velocity, when it already had that energy as a potential?
I'm having a crisis of intuition here.
Scenario
A person takes a dive from a cliff. The person has a potential energy of $E_p = mgh$. As the person falls, they build kinetic energy, and lose potential ...
0
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120
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How to prove the bound and scattering states theorem? [duplicate]
In Griffiths it is mentioned that if the energy eigenvalue is less than the value of the potential at + and - infinity, then we have bound states. If however the energy is bigger than the potential at ...