College and Engineering Physics

Potential Energy

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Definition of Potential Energy

Examples of Potential Energy

Types of Potential Energy

College and Engineering Physics

Potential Energy

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Definition of Potential Energy

Some types of conservative forces lend themselves to replacing work by what we call potential energy.

Potential energy is so called because it measures the potential of a particle to have kinetic energy.

Equations for various types of potential energy are always given by the following equation

object an on forcethat by doneforce particular afor object an a of WU

The unit of potential energy is the same as that for work.

College and Engineering Physics

Potential Energy

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Example with gravity (The system is gravity, the block and the earth)

m

Δh

hmgmgdyWh

0

Work done by gravity (which is part of the system)

Potential energy of system

hmgU g

System

m

College and Engineering Physics

Potential Energy

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Example with elastic force (The system is the spring, the block and the thing that the thing to which the other side of the spring attaches)

2

0 2

1kxkxdxW

x

Work done by gravity (which is part of the system)

Potential energy of system

2

2

1kxU sp

System

xk

Felastic

College and Engineering Physics

Potential Energy

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Types of Potential Energy

Gravitational Potential Energy

hmgU g

Elastic Potential Energy

2

2

1kxU sp

r

mmGU g

21

College and Engineering Physics

Potential Energy

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