Skip to main content
Back

Energy with Non-Conservative Forces definitions

Control buttons has been changed to "navigation" mode.
1/15
  • Conservation of Energy
    A principle stating that the total energy in an isolated system remains constant, accounting for both conservative and non-conservative forces.
  • Non-Conservative Forces
    Forces like friction and applied forces that cause energy to be added or removed from a system, affecting mechanical energy conservation.
  • Applied Force
    An external force exerted on an object, often resulting in work done and changes in the object's energy.
  • Friction
    A force opposing motion between surfaces in contact, often converting kinetic energy into thermal energy.
  • Kinetic Energy
    The energy an object possesses due to its motion, calculated as 1/2 times mass times velocity squared.
  • Potential Energy
    Energy stored in an object due to its position or configuration, often associated with gravitational or elastic forces.
  • Work
    The process of energy transfer to or from an object via a force acting over a distance, calculated as force times distance times cosine of the angle.
  • Mechanical Energy
    The sum of kinetic and potential energy in a system, which may change due to non-conservative forces.
  • Smooth Ice
    A surface with negligible friction, allowing for minimal energy loss due to frictional forces.
  • Cosine Theta
    A trigonometric function used in calculating work, representing the angle between force direction and displacement.
  • Initial Speed
    The speed of an object before any external forces are applied, used as a reference in energy calculations.
  • Final Speed
    The speed of an object after external forces have acted on it, often determined using energy equations.
  • Joules
    The SI unit of energy or work, equivalent to one newton meter.
  • Mass
    A measure of the amount of matter in an object, influencing its resistance to acceleration.
  • Distance
    The length of the path over which a force is applied, affecting the work done on an object.