Physics
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Boundless Physics
Work and Energy
Physics Textbooks Boundless Physics Work and Energy
Physics Textbooks Boundless Physics
Physics Textbooks
Physics

Section 5

Potential Energy and Conservation of Energy

Book Version 3
By Boundless
Boundless Physics
Physics
by Boundless
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7 concepts
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Conservative and Nonconservative Forces

Conservative force—a force with the property that the work done in moving a particle between two points is independent of the path it takes.

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What is Potential Energy?

Potential energy is the energy difference between the energy of an object in a given position and its energy at a reference position.

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Gravity

Gravitational energy is the potential energy associated with gravitational force, as work is required to move objects against gravity.

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Springs

When a spring is stretched/compressed from its equilibrium position by x, its potential energy is give as $U = \frac{1}{2} kx^2$.

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Conservation of Mechanical Energy

Conservation of mechanical energy states that the mechanical energy of an isolated system remains constant without friction.

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Problem Solving With the Conservation of Energy

To solve a conservation of energy problem determine the system of interest, apply law of conservation of energy, and solve for the unknown.

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Problem Solving with Dissipative Forces

In the presence of dissipative forces, total mechanical energy changes by exactly the amount of work done by nonconservative forces (Wc).

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