All Flashcards
What is the effect of increasing the compression of a spring?
Increases the elastic potential energy stored in the spring.
What happens to gravitational potential energy as an object moves closer to the Earth?
Gravitational potential energy decreases (becomes more negative).
What is the effect of friction on a system's potential energy?
Friction converts some potential energy into thermal energy, reducing the amount of potential energy available.
What happens when a spring is stretched or compressed?
Elastic potential energy is stored in the spring.
What happens when the height of an object above the ground increases?
The gravitational potential energy of the object increases.
What is potential energy?
Stored energy within a system due to the positions of objects.
What are conservative forces?
Forces that allow a system to store energy; work done is path-independent.
What are non-conservative forces?
Forces that dissipate energy as heat, preventing the system from storing potential energy.
What is the spring constant (k)?
A measure of the stiffness of a spring.
What is gravitational field (g)?
The acceleration due to gravity, approximately 9.8 m/s² on Earth.
Define displacement (Δx) in the context of springs.
The distance a spring is stretched or compressed from its equilibrium length.
What is the effect of positive work done by a conservative force?
Decreases potential energy.
What is the effect of negative work done by a conservative force?
Increases potential energy.
What is the effect of steeper slopes on a potential energy graph?
Larger forces.
What is the effect of flat regions on a potential energy graph?
Zero force.
What is the effect of compressing a spring?
It stores elastic potential energy.