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Flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture on mechanical work and energy.
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Mechanical Work
The product of the force acting on an object and the displacement of that object in the direction of the force.
Scalar Quantity
A physical quantity that has magnitude only and no direction, such as energy.
Driving Force
Forces that perform positive mechanical work when their direction coincides with the direction of displacement.
Resistance Forces
Forces that do negative mechanical work, like frictional forces acting against the direction of motion.
Kinetic Energy
The energy possessed by an object due to its motion, defined as KE = 1/2 mv².
Potential Energy
The energy stored in an object due to its position or configuration, often associated with gravitational forces.
Conservative Forces
Forces for which the work done is independent of the path taken and depends only on the initial and final positions.
Non-Conservative Forces
Forces for which the work done depends on the path taken, such as friction.
Law of Conservation of Mechanical Energy
A principle stating that the total mechanical energy of an isolated system remains constant if only conservative forces act.
Power
The rate at which work is done or energy is transferred, measured in watts.
Equipotential Surface
A surface on which the potential energy at every point is the same.
Gradient of Potential Energy
A vector that points in the direction of the greatest increase of potential energy, indicating the direction of the force.