What is Potential: Definition and 1000 Discussions
Potential generally refers to a currently unrealized ability. The term is used in a wide variety of fields, from physics to the social sciences to indicate things that are in a state where they are able to change in ways ranging from the simple release of energy by objects to the realization of abilities in people. The philosopher Aristotle incorporated this concept into his theory of potentiality and actuality, a pair of closely connected principles which he used to analyze motion, causality, ethics, and physiology in his aPhysics, Metaphysics, Nicomachean Ethics and De Anima, which is about the human psyche. That which is potential can theoretically be made actual by taking the right action; for example, a boulder on the edge of a cliff has potential to fall that could be actualized by pushing it over the edge. Several languages have a potential mood, a grammatical construction that indicates that something is potential. These include Finnish, Japanese, and Sanskrit.In physics, a potential may refer to the scalar potential or to the vector potential. In either case, it is a field defined in space, from which many important physical properties may be derived. Leading examples are the gravitational potential and the electric potential, from which the motion of gravitating or electrically charged bodies may be obtained. Specific forces have associated potentials, including the Coulomb potential, the van der Waals potential, the Lennard-Jones potential and the Yukawa potential. In electrochemistry there are Galvani potential, Volta potential, electrode potential, and standard electrode potential. In the
thermodynamics, the term potential often refers to thermodynamic potential.
Homework Statement
Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution
Using ## \nabla \times \vec A = \vec B##. I got that both ##\v A_1 ~~and~~ \vec A_2 ## produce ## \vec B##. So, the correct option is (d).
Is this correct?
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Homework Statement
Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a SolutionChemical potential is defined as ## \mu = Gibbs potential per particle ##.
So, is the system consists of N particles, ##\mu = \frac { G } {N } ##.
Now, dG = VdP – SdT
## \frac {dG } { N } = \frac { VdP } { N } - \frac { SdT }...
Homework Statement
Calculate the potential energy created by the spring in the mousetrap as a function of the angle the spring is pulled back.
Homework Equations
PE = ∫Fdx = ∫ kxdx = ∫k rΘ rdΘ ??
The Attempt at a Solution
Is this a linear spring? we can use x = rΘ, and dx = rdΘ, so PE =...
I'm looking for a diagram or animation that shows the vector potential A (in the form of arrows or whatever) superimposed on the E and B fields of a plane EM wave. Since A is not unique, maybe two or three versions of the diagram (including one with Coulomb guage). An animation with a slider to...
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A rotating magnetic dipole is built by two oscillating magnetic dipole moments, one along the y-axis and one along the x-axis. Find the vector potential at a point: (0, 0, ##z_0##) along the z-axis. Then find the magnetic field at ##z_0## . As the magnetic field is a function...
Homework Statement
I've created code to crack a Hill Cipher (n=3).
I'm unsure which cribs to try to crack a specific code.
Would anyone mind posting ideas? The crib must be 9 letters in length.
Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution
Hi , this is my equation :
μA= μA0 + RTlnaA
A is the asphaltene in toluene solution . i want to calculate μA in different temperatures. where can i get μA0 and aA? tables? other equations?
μA0 is the standard chemical potential of asphaltene and aA is the asphaltene activity in solution.
Homework Statement
The probability for a particle of energy E<<V0 to penetrate a potential barrier of height V0 and width d is approximately \frac{16E}{V_0}exp\left[\frac{-2d\sqrt{2m(V_0-E)}}{\hbar}\right].
An electron moves between two potential barriers of height V0 and 2v0 that are of widths...
Hi, new member with a question that I might be asking wrong. A week ago I read an article or something on building a windmill generator, which I come back to every few years. So, this week, I was reading about how to calculate the voltage based on loops, turns, Teslas, area, RPMs and such, and I...
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A proton is released from rest at the positive plate of a parallel plate capacitor. It crosses the capacitor and reaches the negative plate with a speed of 50,000 m/s. What will be the final speed of an electron released from rest at the negative plate?
Homework Equations...
Hello. I've been watching Susskind's online Stanford lectures on classical mechanics to review the subject, and I believe he said that adding a constant to the potential energy does not change the action of a system. I see how it doesn't change the Euler-Lagrange equations and therefore...
The force constant of the spring in a child’s toy car is 550 N/m. How much elastic potential energy is stored in the spring if the spring is compressed a distance of 0.012m?
The formula for spring force is F =kx
When I do 550 x 0.012m I get 6.6 but I am supposed to round my answer four decimal...
1. With an elevation of 5334 m above sea level, the village of Aucanquilca, Chile, is the highest inhabited town in the world.
What would be the gravitational potential energy associated with a 64.0 kg person in Aucanquilca? Assume that the free-fall acceleration at Aucanquilca is equal to that...
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A particle that can move along the x-axis experiences an interaction force Fx=(3x2−5x) N where x is in m. Find an expression for the system's potential energy. Express your answer in terms of the variables x and the constant of integration C, where C is in joules.
Homework...
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1D Potential V(x) = mw^2x^2/2, part of a harmonic oscillator.
Suppose that the spring can only be stretched, so that the potential becomes V=infinity for x<0. What are the energy levels of this system?
Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution
I argued my way though this...
Homework Statement
The work done by an external force to move a -8.0 uC charge from point a to point b is 25*10^-4 Joules. If the charge was started from rest and had 5.2 * 10^-4 Joules of kinetic energy when it reached point b, what must be the potential difference between a and b?
Homework...
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An electron acquires 3.16*10^-16 J of kinetic energy when it is accelerated by an electric field from plate A to plate B. What is the potential difference between the plates, and which plate is at the higher potential.
Homework Equations
w =Δv * q
The Attempt at a Solution...
Homework Statement
Find potential difference between a and b in the figure
Homework Equations
Q=cv
The Attempt at a Solution can anybody tell me how to apply the equation in this problem with more than one cell
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I am confused how a charge could have negative work done.
To clarify, I was doing a problem earlier in which a positive charge and negative charge are moving towards each other. I used the equation
work = Δv * q
And when I was doing this, the change in electric potential, Δv, was negative, and...
Assume a person is at space, and assume there's no friction or gravitational force in that space.
The person has a bow and arrow. He stretches the arrow on the bow, and then shots the arrow out in the space. Since there are no friction and gravitational force in that space, the arrow will have...
Homework Statement
I'm trying to figure out how to do D) and relate time to this potential energy graph.
Homework Equations
All I really know is that F = -dU/dx
The Attempt at a Solution
I tried to do something with F = ma
and a = d2x/ dt2
and then set the - derivative of U(x) equal to the...
Homework Statement
Two concentric cylinders with radii a & b (b>a) with an infinitely long grounded strip along the z-direction are given potentials \phi_1 and \phi_2.
Find \Phi(r,\phi) for a<r<b
Boundary conditions:
\Phi(r,2n\pi)=0
\Phi(a,\phi)=\phi_1
\Phi(b,\phi)=\phi_2
Homework...
Here is problem I quickly made up:
Suppose there is a ramp with a height of 6 meters and length of 12 meters. A block of 5 kg is pushed up to the top of the ramp with a constant velocity. The force of friction is 15 N.
Here's the confusion:
By using the non-conservative force work energy...
The gravitational potential energy of two massic points ##P_1## and ##P_2## with respective masses ##m_1## and ##m_2## is given by
$$U = -G \frac{m_1 m_2}{|| P_2 - P_1 ||}$$
Now I was wondering how this formula could be applied to continuous matter. Let us imagine a very simple case where we...
I was answering the question, "Since electric potential is always proportional to potential energy, why bother with the concept of potential at all?"
I answered that this is because Electric Potential Energy requires a test charge to calculate, Electric Potential is present without a test...
There is something that has been bothering me for some time about binding energy (and respective mass difference) but I was not sure how to formulate the question. Now it feels like I can ask it meaningfully enough.
In GR energy produces gravity just like mass. But how potential energy is...
Homework Statement
The problem is to take a small ball of mass m on a uniform rod of mass m which is hung on a hinge vertically downward, they're asking to find the velocity to be imparted for it undergo a complete rotation.
I have the kinetic energy bit worked out but I'm getting the wrong...
Homework Statement
A particle moving in a periodic potential has one-dimensional dynamics according to a Hamiltonian ## \hat H = \hat p_x^2/2m+V_0(1-cos(\hat x))##
a) Express ## \frac{d <\hat x>}{dt}## in terms of ##<\hat p_x>##.
b) Express ## \frac{d <\hat p_x>}{dt}## in terms of ##<sin(\hat...
Homework Statement
In the system below, m1<m2. When the object of mass m2 has descended a distance h, the potential energy of the system has decreased by:
Homework Equations
the answer is (m2-m1)gh
The Attempt at a Solution
I used ΔU= Uf-Ui
m1gh-m2gh=ΔU (I think that the decrease in...
Homework Statement
A 1.00kg mass and 2.00kg mass are set gently on a platform mounted on an ideal spring of force constant 40.0 N/m. The 2.00 kg mass is suddenly removed. How high above its starting position does the 1.00 kg mass reach?
Related to it... An 87 g box is attached to a spring with...
Is possible and what does it mean if a chemical potential is negative?
I mean that for boson it means that in environment is "needed" boson (photon) and is possible to create him. Is it true?
And what about for fermions? Could it mean that it is pleasent for environment to creat some fermion? Or...
Why is the potential of the Earth taken as zero ? Putting the question in other words:: All earthing is done to the ground. Over the years every singe charge in excess is grounded to the earth. Even then why is it so that the potential of the Earth is considered to be zero ??
Homework Statement
A sphere of radius R has a volume charge density proportional to distance from center. Total charge contained in the sphere is Q. If electric potential at infinity is taken to be zero , potential at it's center is
Homework Equations
Here given are
ρ= βr where β is a constant...
This is probably fairly simple, but I have a hard time to grasp the concept of the vector potential A in electromgnetism. Especially, in the following equation for the electric field :
\vec{E} = - \nabla V - \frac{\partial \vec{A}}{\partial t}
When does the second term is not 0 ?
Sorry if something is wrong... this is my first ever post
1. Homework Statement
The Question:
In one dimension, the magnitude of the gravitational force of attraction between a particle of mass M1, and one of mass M2 is given by:
F(r)=GM1M2/r^2
Where G is a constant and x is the distance...
Recent discussions on pressure as a source of gravity and the related Tolman paradox have reminded me that few people seem to be aware that even in Newtonian gravity the pressure is related to the potential energy, which I've mentioned a few times on these forums before.
This is easy to show...
Hi. I'm studying fluid dynamics and in particular potential flows. I know that for an irrotational flow the velocity field is a conservative field and it can be rapresented by the gradient of a scalar field v=-∇Φ. In this case the explicit form of Φ is something like a line integral between a...
Homework Statement
Homework Equations
Thermodynamic Identity
The Attempt at a Solution
While I was able to work out the problem with the help of the hint, I couldn't completely understand the implication of said hint. The hint suggests that the equations for Chemical Potential in a process...
I am tasked with finding the path a particle takes through this potential field.
$$U(x,y) = x^2+xy+y^2$$
I then took the gradient, and this produced a pair of differential equations.
$$\frac{d^2x}{dt^2}=\frac{1}{m}(-2x-y)$$
$$\frac{d^2x}{dt^2}=\frac{1}{m}(-2y-x)$$
I have yet to encounter set of...
Homework Statement
(a) What voltage will accelerate electrons to a speed of ##6.00 \times 10^{-7} m/s## ? (b) Find the radius of curvature of the path of a proton accelerated through this potential in a 0.500-T field and compare this with the radius of curvature of an electron accelerated...
Homework Statement
Four protons (each with mass 1.7 10-27 kg and charge 1.6 10-19 C) are initially held at the corners of a square that is 7.1 10-9 m on a side. They are then released from rest. What is the speed of each proton when the protons are very far apart? (You may assume that the...
My textbook doesn’t go into it, can someone tell me why Taylor expansion is used to express spring potential energy? A lot of the questions I do I think I can just use F=-Kx and relate it to U(x) being F=-Gradiant U(x) but I see most answers using the Taylor expansion instead to get 1/2 kx^2...
Homework Statement
Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution
## V(r) = \frac 1{r^3} \left( A - Br^2 \right )##
At the bottom of the well, r is verry small.
So, ## V(r) = \frac A{r^3}##
Assuming the validation of Equipartition of energy theorem, since the degrees of freedom is 1,
the...
In fact I am not sure if this is the right place to ask such a question but I'm going to ask anyways, just tell me if I am in the wrong place.
So I doing a little experiment with the Schröndinger's equation, but the problem is I can't find a certain function.
You all know the Schrödingers...
Homework Statement
I have a particle of mass m. The particle is moving in direction of axis z because of the gravitational force of a homogeneous circular disk of mass M and radius a. There is a formula for gravitational force of the disk on the picture.
Task:
1) Find the formula of...
I've read that two electrons can become entangled in a "potential well," which is a point where potential energy is lowest compared to its surroundings. Is this correct? What does this have to do with entangling particles?
Hello guys, came across some Analytical Physics lectures (http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/ugrad/227_f11/classes/lect08.pdf) that got me confused.
It is described in the lecture the problem of determining the force between capacitor plates for a constant voltage (ie. connected to a battery). For...
Homework Statement
Posting here because it was over a previous homework assignment and I don't understand the solution that was given out. For reference, the problem is 2.27 is Griffiths' Introduction to Electrodynamics. It reads "Find the potential on the axis of a uniformly charged solid...