Conservation of Mechanical Energy

In summary, the concept of velocity being independent of mass means that the amount of matter in an object, or its mass, does not change when its speed changes. This is because mass is defined as a measurement of the amount of matter in an object, and changing its speed does not change the amount of matter it contains. This concept is related to the conservation of energy, where the energy of an object is determined by its mass and velocity. In relativity, the classical mass, also known as rest-mass, does not depend on velocity, but the measured mass from another frame does.
  • #1
phy21050
Would someone please explain the concept to me that Velocity is independent of mass. Thank you for your time. It is preferred that you email me a response.
 
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  • #2
What? (Hey, I'm not being as insulting as ottjes!)

That's like asking asking us to explain why mass is independent of position or why mass is independent of color. Mass is DEFINED as a measure of the amount of matter in an object. Changing speed does not change the amount of matter in an object.



(You asked for an explanation of the concept of mass being INDEPENDENT of velocity. A more interesting question would be why, in relativity mass DOES depend on velocity. {The "classical" mass which in relativy would be rest-mass DOESN'T, the mass as measured from another frame depends on the velocity relative to that frame.})
 
  • #3
Halls, looks like he's talking about conservatin of energy and how it relates to mass.

Phy, you're asking about E = m v^2, right? Or how an object moving at one speed can hit another object, causing it to move at a different speed? Quite simply, energy is conserved, so for a smaller object to have the same energy, it must move faster and vice versa.
 

What is Conservation of Mechanical Energy?

Conservation of Mechanical Energy is a fundamental law of physics that states that the total amount of mechanical energy in a closed system remains constant over time. This means that energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be transferred or transformed from one form to another.

What are the two forms of Mechanical Energy?

The two forms of Mechanical Energy are potential energy and kinetic energy. Potential energy is the energy an object possesses due to its position or configuration, while kinetic energy is the energy an object possesses due to its motion.

How is Mechanical Energy conserved in a closed system?

In a closed system, the total amount of potential energy and kinetic energy remains constant. This means that if one form of energy decreases, the other form must increase by the same amount. For example, when a ball is dropped from a height, its potential energy decreases as it falls, but its kinetic energy increases by the same amount.

What are some real-world examples of Conservation of Mechanical Energy?

One example of Conservation of Mechanical Energy is a swinging pendulum. As the pendulum swings back and forth, its potential energy is constantly being converted into kinetic energy and back again. Another example is a roller coaster, where the potential energy gained at the top of a hill is converted into kinetic energy as the coaster moves down the track.

Why is Conservation of Mechanical Energy important?

Conservation of Mechanical Energy is important because it is a fundamental principle in physics that helps us understand and predict the behavior of objects in motion. It also has many practical applications, such as in designing efficient machines and understanding the movement of planets in our solar system.

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