PHYS130 Chapter 8: Chapter8_Potential Energy and Conservation of Energy
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8 Sep 2015
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PHYS130 Full Course Notes
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The gravitational force and the spring force are both conservative: a force that is not conservative is called a nonconservative force. The gravitational potential energy associated with a particle earth system depends only on the vertical position y (or height) of the particle relative to the reference position y = 0, not on the horizontal position. 8-1 potential energy: work and potential energy. U(y) = mgy: elastic potential energy. 8-3 reading a potential energy curve: the relationship between force and potential energy: A particle at such a position is said to be in neutral equilibrium. (a marble placed on a horizontal tabletop is in that state. ) If it is displaced even slightly in either direction, a nonzero force pushes it farther in the same direction, and the particle continues to move. A particle at such a position is said to be in unstable equilibrium. (a marble balanced on top of a bowling ball is an example. )