Questions tagged [potential-energy]
Potential energy is the energy of a body or a system due to the position of the body or the arrangement of the particles of the system.
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In physics, what is the difference between a fact and a definition?
For example, I came across this statement:
"It is a fact that the components of force are derivatives of potential energy, but it is not a definition."
What does this statement mean?
I ...
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Energy in different coordinates in central force motion
With reference to central force, we see that K.E has 2 terms in 2D cartesian cordinate but just 1 term in polar coordinates and potential energy has 1 term in cartesian but 2 terms in polar.
Basically ...
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Confusion regarding potential energy of the "system"
Let's consider a block on a frictionless table. The block is connected to a fixed support on the table via a massless spring. Suppose the block is pulled aside by a distance x and then released. The ...
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How does energy stay conserved if the force is time dependent and doesn't depend on location?
While reading The Theoretical Minimum for Classical Mechanics the author said that the derivative of the potential energy is equals the force and showed this equation describing the potential energy ...
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The electron potential energy of a single electron (in $H^+_2$ ) at any point
In my book it says:
We can choose a convenient reference by noting that the coulomb force at infinite distance is zero. It makes sense for this case, then, to choose $r=\inf$ as the vacuum level $E_v$...
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Does mechanical energy means total energy?
I know that mechanical energy is the sum of kinetic energy and potential energy. But there is a sentence in the book like this:
'Our primary goal, however, is to find the energies associated with ...
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Model of Quintessential Inflation
I have a question about how the potential for an inflaton field is selected. It is clear that there are limitations associated with number of e-folds, scalar-to-tensor relation and scalar spectral ...
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Energy in electric field of an electron?
I am just trying to get an intuition for the Griffiths equation no. 2.45, where work done to establish a field E is given by
Say we want to solve it for electric field due to an electron (point-charge)...
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Effective Potential of Einstein Cluster
I was reading this paper (PDF), "On Einstein Clusters", and in equation (34) they write the effective potential of a particle moving in this system as $$V_{eff}(r)=e^{\nu/2}\sqrt{1+\frac{\...
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Why does the total gravitational potential in the universe exactly equal the total mass energy RIGHT NOW? [duplicate]
In the zero energy universe model, the gravitational field has negative energy, and this negative gravitational energy of all the distant mass exactly balances and cancels the positive mass-energy in ...
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Classification of equilibrium configurations for particles subject to elastic force constrained on a circle
I am interested in classifying all the possible equilibrium configurations for an arrangement of $l$ equal point particles $P_1, P_2, . . . , P_l$ $(l > 2)$ on a circle of radius $R$ and centre $O$....
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Change in Work-Energy Theorem
We have Work-Energy Theorem as follows:
$$W_c +W_{nc} + W_{ext} = ΔK$$ $-(1)$
, where $W_c$ = work done by conservative forces,
$W_{nc}$ = work done by non-conservative forces, $W_{ext}$ = work done ...
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Defintion of gravitational potential
I am not much clear regarding the defintion of "gravitational potential":
Is the work done for bringing the unit mass from infinity to that point by, gravitaional force or external force? (...
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Charge Distribution and Stability in a Conductive Solid Sphere
My friend came to me with a simple question: What is the charge distribution on a conductive solid sphere? Of course, I answered: 'Since the solid sphere is conductive, the electric potential would be ...
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When is the internal energy of a system not considered potential energy? [duplicate]
I have seen the total energy of a system, $E$, given in two forms:
$$E = K + U$$
where $K$ is the kinetic energy and $U$ is the potential energy, as well as
$$E = K + U + I$$
where $I$ is the internal ...
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