Conservation of Energy of a particle from phys 111 W&P Chapter 8

• Kinetic Energy

  • non-relativistic

• Potential Energy

  • determined by force law

• for Conservative Forces total energy is constant total energy = K+U is constant

• examples of conservative forces

  • gravity gravitational potential energy
  • springs coiled spring energy (Hooke’s Law: U(x)=kx2
  • electric electric potential energy (today!)

• examples of non-conservative forces (heat)

  • friction
  • viscous damping (terminal velocity)

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