- #1
Livethefire
- 51
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This is most likely a complete failure of comprehension on my part (as ussual), but I've been thinking about this for the past while and have come to a unsatisfactory conclusion.
In reference to an electro-magnetic field or a gravitational field, where do the particles get the energy to be attracted or pushed away?
I know they have a POTENTIAL to do so, but where does that potential energy come from in the first place?
Refering to gravitational fields, is it just because of a particular spatial configuration? Thats obvious in the sense that- we have 2 masses and they attract, you can give one potential energy in respect to the other by applying a force etc.
However back to the original question where does that impeding attractive force come from to begin with?
I reckon there is something fundamentally wrong with my understanding or this is edging on philosophy. The concept of a potential field around say a static charged particle, a magnet or a large mass is a way of describing what is happening without saying where the energy came from.
I will be very grateful if anyone can clear this up, or shed more light on it.
Thanks.
LTF.
EDIT:
We don't really know WHAT energy is in an absolute sense apart from little definitions. So I guess my question is edging philsophical ground. And the concept of potiential is indeed useful. I just don't like not knowing :P.
In reference to an electro-magnetic field or a gravitational field, where do the particles get the energy to be attracted or pushed away?
I know they have a POTENTIAL to do so, but where does that potential energy come from in the first place?
Refering to gravitational fields, is it just because of a particular spatial configuration? Thats obvious in the sense that- we have 2 masses and they attract, you can give one potential energy in respect to the other by applying a force etc.
However back to the original question where does that impeding attractive force come from to begin with?
I reckon there is something fundamentally wrong with my understanding or this is edging on philosophy. The concept of a potential field around say a static charged particle, a magnet or a large mass is a way of describing what is happening without saying where the energy came from.
I will be very grateful if anyone can clear this up, or shed more light on it.
Thanks.
LTF.
EDIT:
We don't really know WHAT energy is in an absolute sense apart from little definitions. So I guess my question is edging philsophical ground. And the concept of potiential is indeed useful. I just don't like not knowing :P.
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