- "Potential energy is the energy held by an object because of its position relative to other objects, stresses within itself, its electric charge, or other factors."
Energy that an object possesses due to its position relative to other objects.
Work (Physics): Work is defined as the transfer of energy from one system to another, and it is closely related to potential energy. Understanding the principles of work is essential in grasping the concept of potential energy.
Kinetic Energy: Kinetic energy is the energy of motion possessed by an object. It is determined by the mass and speed of the object. Knowing how to calculate kinetic energy helps in understanding the relationship between kinetic and potential energy.
Newton’s Laws of Motion: The laws of motion, particularly the second law, demonstrate the relationship between force and acceleration. This is useful in understanding how an object in motion can possess potential energy.
Conservation of Energy: The conservation of energy principle states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed. This is a crucial concept in calculating potential energy and understanding its changes.
Gravitational Force: The force of gravity is the force that attracts two objects with mass towards each other. Understanding this force is key in grasping how height influences potential energy.
Force Fields: A force field is the region in space where an object experiences a force. In the case of potential energy, the force field is created by gravity.
Potential Energy Equations: Potential energy is calculated using equations that describe the relationship between height, mass, and gravity. Understanding the equations is essential in calculating potential energy.
Conservation of Mechanical Energy: The conservation of mechanical energy principle states that the sum of potential and kinetic energy in a system is constant, provided that no external forces act on the system. This is another crucial concept in calculating potential energy.
Gravitational Potential Energy: Gravitational potential energy is the energy possessed by an object due to its position relative to the surface of the Earth. Understanding how it is calculated is fundamental in understanding the concept of potential energy.
Elastic Potential Energy: Elastic potential energy is the energy stored in an object when it is compressed or stretched. Knowledge of the factors that determine elastic potential energy is useful in understanding the different types of potential energy.
Gravitational Potential Energy: The energy an object possesses due to its position in a gravitational field.
Elastic Potential Energy: The energy stored in a stretched or compressed elastic material, such as a spring or rubber band.
Chemical Potential Energy: The energy stored in chemical bonds within molecules and compounds.
Electric Potential Energy: The energy an object possesses due to its position in an electric field.
Magnetic Potential Energy: The energy stored in the position of magnetic objects, such as magnets.
Nuclear Potential Energy: The energy stored in the nucleus of an atom.
Radiant Potential Energy: The energy supplied by radiant processes, such as electromagnetic radiation.
Thermal Potential Energy: The energy stored in the temperature of a substance or material.
Sound Potential Energy: The energy stored in sound waves, which can be converted into kinetic energy in vibrating objects.
Kinetic Potential Energy: The energy possessed by an object due to its motion, such as the energy stored in a spinning flywheel.
Tidal Potential Energy: The energy that can be harnessed from the rise and fall of tides due to gravitational forces.
Hydroelectric Potential Energy: The energy that can be harnessed from the potential energy of water stored in reservoirs and dams.
Wind Potential Energy: The energy that can be harnessed from the kinetic energy of wind currents.
Solar Potential Energy: The energy that can be harnessed from the sun's radiation through the use of solar panels.
Geothermal Potential Energy: The energy that can be harnessed from the Earth's internal heat through the use of geothermal power plants.
- "The term potential energy was introduced by the 19th-century Scottish engineer and physicist William Rankine, although it has links to the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle's concept of potentiality."
- "Common types of potential energy include the gravitational potential energy of an object, the elastic potential energy of an extended spring, and the electric potential energy of an electric charge in an electric field."
- "The unit for energy in the International System of Units (SI) is the joule, which has the symbol J."
- "Potential energy is associated with forces that act on a body in a way that the total work done by these forces on the body depends only on the initial and final positions of the body in space."
- "These forces, whose total work is path independent, are called conservative forces."
- "If the force acting on a body varies over space, then one has a force field; such a field is described by vectors at every point in space, which is in turn called a vector field."
- "A conservative vector field can be simply expressed as the gradient of a certain scalar function, called a scalar potential."
- "The term potential energy was introduced by the 19th-century Scottish engineer and physicist William Rankine, although it has links to the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle's concept of potentiality."
- "The energy held by an object because of its position relative to other objects, stresses within itself, its electric charge, or other factors."
- "Gravitational potential energy of an object, elastic potential energy of an extended spring, and electric potential energy of an electric charge in an electric field."
- "The joule, which has the symbol J."
- "Conservative forces."
- "A conservative vector field can be simply expressed as the gradient of a certain scalar function, called a scalar potential."
- "The total work done by these forces on the body depends only on the initial and final positions of the body in space."
- "William Rankine, a 19th-century Scottish engineer and physicist."
- "Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle's concept of potentiality."
- "Factors such as the object's position relative to other objects, stresses within itself, its electric charge, or other factors."
- "Gravitational potential energy, elastic potential energy, and electric potential energy."
- "The symbol J represents the joule, the unit for energy in the International System of Units."