Interactions and Potential Energy

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary and concepts related to interactions and potential energy in physics, focusing on definitions and principles essential for understanding energy conservation.

Energy

The capacity to do work or produce heat.

Conservation of energy

The principle stating that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.

Potential energy

Energy stored in an object due to its position or arrangement.

Kinetic energy

The energy of an object due to its motion.

Gravitational potential energy

Potential energy that depends on the height of an object in a gravitational field.

Elastic potential energy

Potential energy stored in elastic materials as the result of their stretching or compressing.

Conservative forces

Forces for which the work done is independent of the path taken.

Nonconservative forces

Forces that do not conserve mechanical energy; work done depends on the path taken.

Mechanical energy

The sum of kinetic and potential energy in a system.

Energy diagrams

Graphical representations showing potential and kinetic energy as a function of position.

Turning points

Points where the total energy line crosses the potential-energy curve in an energy diagram.

Equilibrium

A state where the net forces acting on an object are zero.

Stable equilibrium

An equilibrium where small disturbances result in oscillations around a point.

Unstable equilibrium

An equilibrium where small disturbances cause the object to move away from that point.

Work (W)

The process of energy transfer when a force is applied to an object and it moves.

Energy bar charts

Visual tools representing the distribution and transformation of energy in a system.

Internal forces

Forces that act within the system, such as gravitational or elastic forces.

Energy principle

The concept that energy can be transferred and transformed but the total energy in an isolated system remains constant.

Thermal energy

Energy related to the temperature of a system, often arising from friction.

Isolated system

A system that does not exchange energy or matter with its surroundings.

Dissipative forces

Forces like friction that convert mechanical energy into thermal energy.

Energy transformation

The process of changing energy from one form to another, such as kinetic to potential.

System boundary

An imaginary line that defines the system and what is included in it.

Interaction energy

Energy resulting from the interaction of objects within a system.

Zero of potential energy

An arbitrary reference point where potential energy is set to zero for calculations.

Slope of the potential energy curve

Indicates the force acting on an object; the steeper the slope, the greater the force.

Hooke's Law

The principle stating that the force exerted by a spring is proportional to its displacement from equilibrium.