Potential energy

Potential Energy

Potential energy (pronunciation: /pəˈten(t)SHəl ˈenərjē/) is the energy that an object has due to its position in a force field or that a system has due to the configuration of its parts.

Etymology

The term "potential energy" was introduced by the 19th-century Scottish engineer and physicist William Rankine. The term "potential" comes from the Latin potentia, meaning "power".

Types of Potential Energy

There are several types of potential energy, including:

Gravitational potential energy: This is the energy an object possesses because of its position in a gravitational field. The higher the object is in the field, the greater its gravitational potential energy.

Elastic potential energy: This is the energy stored in an object when there is a deformation of the object, like in a spring or rubber band. The energy is stored until the deformation is eliminated and the object returns to its original shape.

Chemical potential energy: This is the energy stored in the bonds of chemical compounds. It is released in a chemical reaction, often producing heat as a by-product (exothermic reaction).

Electric potential energy: This is the energy that a charged particle has due to its position in an electric field.

Nuclear potential energy: This is the energy stored in the nucleus of an atom. It is released during nuclear reactions.

Related Terms

Kinetic energy: The energy that an object possesses due to its motion.

Mechanical energy: The sum of potential energy and kinetic energy. It is the energy associated with the motion and position of an object.

Conservation of energy: A principle stating that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but can be altered from one form to another.

Work (physics): In physics, work is the energy transferred to or from an object via the application of force along a displacement.

Energy transformation: The process of changing energy from one form to another.

External links

Medical encyclopedia article on Potential energy
Wikipedia's article - Potential energy

This WikiMD article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.

Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski