Physically, the notion of potential energy is applicable only toa)The ...
Explanation:Potential energy is the stored energy of an object. It is the energy by virtue of an object's position relative to other objects. Potential energy is often associated with restoring forces such as a spring or the force of gravity. It is applicable only for conservative forces.
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Physically, the notion of potential energy is applicable only toa)The ...
The notion of potential energy is applicable only to the class of forces where work done against the force gets stored up as energy.
Potential energy is a fundamental concept in physics that describes the stored energy an object possesses due to its position or configuration. It is the energy that an object has the potential to release and convert into other forms of energy, such as kinetic energy.
Potential energy is applicable to a specific class of forces, where work done against the force is stored up as energy. Let's explore why this is the case:
Definition of potential energy:
Potential energy is the energy possessed by an object due to its position or configuration in a force field. It is often represented by the symbol U and is measured in joules (J).
The class of forces where work done against the force gets stored up as energy:
1. Gravitational force: When an object is lifted against the force of gravity, work is done against the gravitational force. This work is stored as gravitational potential energy. The amount of potential energy depends on the mass of the object, the acceleration due to gravity, and the height above a reference point.
2. Elastic force: When a spring is stretched or compressed, work is done against the elastic force. This work is stored as elastic potential energy. The amount of potential energy depends on the spring constant and the displacement from the equilibrium position.
3. Electric force: When charges are moved against an electric field, work is done against the electric force. This work is stored as electric potential energy. The amount of potential energy depends on the magnitude of the charges and the potential difference between two points.
4. Magnetic force: When a magnetic field is used to move a magnetic object or charged particle, work is done against the magnetic force. This work is stored as magnetic potential energy. The amount of potential energy depends on the strength of the magnetic field and the displacement of the object or particle.
In all these cases, the work done against the force is not dissipated, converted to thermal energy, or converted to kinetic energy immediately. Instead, it is stored as potential energy, which can be released and converted to other forms of energy when the object or system undergoes a change in its position or configuration.
Therefore, the notion of potential energy is only applicable to the class of forces where work done against the force gets stored up as energy (option A).
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