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.

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  1. W

    Correlation between potential energy and torque

    In class while learning about electromagnetism, I was given the following two equations: U=-μ⋅B τ=μ×B where μ=IA First of all, what does μ stand for? How should I interpret the relationship between potential energy (U) and torque? Can someone explain this in terms of μ and B?
  2. S

    Energy in each cycle of transverse wave?

    Homework Statement Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution a. ##{ P }_{ avg }=\frac { 1 }{ 2 } \mu v{ \omega }^{ 2 }{ A }^{ 2 }=\frac { 1 }{ 2 } 0.075\frac { 10 }{ 3 } { 0.35 }^{ 2 }{ (10\pi ) }^{ 2 }=15.1W## b. Not sure how to calculate that... I'm guessing it'd be some integral over 1...
  3. Low-Q

    Confusion about potential energy in a tank filled with water

    I have a discussion going on with some friends. The discussion goes like this: We have two identical tanks. One is empty. One is full of water. Both placed on the ground. They are connected with a hose at the bottom. There is a ball valve in line with the hose. The full tank has a given...
  4. RJLiberator

    Electric Potential Question

    Homework Statement The volume charge density for some charge configuration is given as ## \rho (x,y,z) = \lambda \delta(x) \delta(z) [\theta(y+L)-\theta(y-L)]## where ## \theta(x)## is the step function, defined as ##\theta(x)=1## for x>0 and 0 for x<0. a) Calculate V(x,y,z), the potential...
  5. J

    Calculating Gravitational Potential

    Homework Statement I was going through a worked example in my textbook to gain a better understanding but after I had a go myself it is the opposite to what I have calculated. I have attached the worked example which asks you to calculate the gain in gravitational potential moving from a point...
  6. RJLiberator

    Help me find the Potential V from a situation with charge

    Homework Statement A disc of radius R lying in the xy-plane is composed of an inner disc of radius R/2 carrying a uniform surface charge density +σ and an anulus (inner and outer radii of R/2 and R) carrying a uniform surface charge density -σ. Assume that the inner disc and the annulus are...
  7. C

    Mechanical energy of a block sliding on a circular path

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  8. M

    Finding electric potential given two point charges

    Homework Statement Find the potential at points P1, P2, P3, and P4 in the diagram due to the two given charges. Homework Equations VP =k∑qi/ri p = q ⋅ d The Attempt at a Solution I'm not sure how to approach the problem. I thought about using that given equation four times and adding it all...
  9. M

    Strength of electric field given potential difference

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  10. HelloCthulhu

    Voltage potential in PEM electrolyzers

    I've been studying PEM fuel cells for a while and wondered if they could be used for electrolysis. I was surprised at first to find out the technique had been used for decades, but after watching this animation the dynamics make much more sense...
  11. T

    Changing distribution when going through a potential

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  12. D

    Boundary conditions for a step potential

    Homework Statement A particle with mass m and spin 1/2, it is subject in a spherical potencial step with height ##V_0##. What is the boundary conditions for this eigenfunctions? Find the degeneracy level for the energy, when it is ##E<V_0## Homework Equations Radial equation \begin{equation}...
  13. R

    What does negative potential energy mean?

    In the case of lifting a box, I know potential energy is negative because negative work is done by gravity. What does the negative part of -PE denote? Does it denote the direction of the energy or does it mean that energy is being lost? But how is energy being lost if the box gains more...
  14. NoahCygnus

    Net work done on Earth-object system and potential energy

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  15. R

    Is a symmetric charge distribution the lowest potential

    Is the potential energy of a symmetric planar (x,y) charge distribution lower than any non symmetric distribution ? from the discussion on Gauss's law and symmetric charge distributions I would think so because the electric field could only be normal to the (x,y) plane in the symmetry case but...
  16. K

    Gradient, Electric Potential, and Electric Field

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  17. W

    QM: Infinite Potential Well

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  18. S

    Potential difference across capacitor in a network

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  19. S

    Work done between two points

    work done in taking positive charge from A to B in electric field E= potential energy at B - potential energy at A OR potential at A-potential at B Am i correct in both formula?
  20. D

    Boundary conditions for eigenfunctions in a potential step

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  21. J

    Potential energy of a massive string

    How can I find the potential energy of a string of mass m and length L that has a block of mass M attached to it? The string is uniform, so I know its center of mass is at L/2.
  22. L

    2D lattice, primitive cell choice

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  23. MarkFL

    MHB Tracking Hurricane Irma: Potential US Impact in a Week

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  24. Irfan Nafi

    General Definition of Potential Energy - Conceptual Help

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  25. B

    Formula of potential energy of a nucleus

    Why there is the term ##\frac{3}{5}## in the formula of the electrostatic potential of a nucleus $$U_e = \frac{3}{5} \cdot \frac{(Ze)^2}{4 \pi \epsilon_0 R}$$
  26. R

    Finding electric potential of two concentric rings

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  27. V

    Find the resistance to produce a specified potential drop

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  28. E

    Potential Necessary for Ionization by Collision

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  29. A

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  30. V

    How do I solve where the absolute potential should be zero?

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  31. T

    Standard electrode potential vs ionization energy

    Here is the Wikipedia page on electrode potentials. Here's how I'm reading it, which makes no sense: If a singly ionized atom of strontium donates an electron to the hydrogen in the standard hydrogen electrode, this will emit 4.101 eV of heat (395.68 kJ/mol). If cesium is used, there will be...
  32. I

    Is action potential a signal transduction?

    This might be either an obvious one, or I might be totally off track. I haven't seen, or been able to find neural action potentials being referenced as signal transductions. Aren't they signal transductions? And if not (say if action potential is only referenced to the change in potential)...
  33. E

    Meaning of potential with respect to Earth

    Potential of a body is defined as the amount of work done in bringing that body from infinity up to some point divided by its charge. The Earth has zero net charge, so the work done in bringing any charge from infinity till the Earth is zero. So what do statements like, "The potential of this...
  34. R

    Electric Current and Potential Difference

    when the external electrical potential difference is applied across the conductor ,electrons flow in the direction opposite to the current.Whether the number of free electrons in the conductor decrease?
  35. E

    Choosing a zero for potential for 2 batteries in parallel with capacitors

    Homework Statement I want to find the charge and potential drop across each capacitor Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution I know both the capacitors are in series and hence have the same charge on them. However I don't know how to calculate the potential drop across the capacitors...
  36. S

    Potential near a conducting strip (Conformal maps)

    1. Homework Statement We have an infinitely long wire with charge density ##\lambda## located at ##x=0,y=h##. We also have a semi-infinite strip of a conductor ##|x|<a/2, y<0##. We need to find the potential in all space. The hint is to use conformal maps. Homework Equations $$\nabla^2 = 0$$...
  37. D

    Potential of the vector field

    Homework Statement I have a curve $$\Psi(t) = \hat h_\alpha$$ where the coordinates are $$\alpha=0, \beta=t$$ and $$\gamma=t$$ in the system. Additionaly $$x=\sqrt2 ^\alpha \cdot(sin\beta-cos\beta)\cdot \frac{1}{cosh\gamma}$$ $$y=\sqrt2 ^\alpha \cdot(cos\beta+sin\beta)\cdot...
  38. Pushoam

    Deriving the potential energy of a dipole

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  39. E

    Change in Potential energy equals change in Kinetic energy?

    Homework Statement I'm trying to digest the concept of change in potential energy being set equal to a change in kinetic energy. Does this relationship always hold? Please see below for more details. Homework Equations PE = mgh KE = .5mv^2 W = ΔKE = -ΔPE W = f*d The Attempt at a Solution...
  40. G

    Potential Energy in 3D: Partial Derivatives

    To find potential energy in 3 dimensions why do we take partial derivative and not total derivative?
  41. Alexander350

    Finding all the forces in this system

    Homework Statement [/B] I am trying to identify every force in this system and prove that it is in mechanical equilibrium when tan(θ)=⅓. Initially I had to solve it by finding when the derivative of potential with respect to θ was 0, but now I am just trying to resolve the forces. Homework...
  42. O

    Time independent Schrödinger Eqn in a harmonic potential

    Homework Statement I am currently reading a textbook on solving the Schrödinger equation for the harmonic oscillator using the series method; $$-\frac{\hbar^{2}}{2m}\frac{\mathrm{d}^2 \psi }{\mathrm{d} x^2}+\frac{1}{2}m\omega ^{2}x^2\psi =E\psi $$ It starts by using these two dimensionless...
  43. DavideGenoa

    I Differentiating a particular integral (retarded potential)

    Hi, friends! Under particular conditions on ##\phi:\mathbb{R}^3\times\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R}## - I think, as said here, that it is sufficient that ##\phi\in C_c^1(\mathbb{R}^4)##: please correct me if I am wrong - the following equality holds$$\frac{\partial}{\partial r_k}\int_{\mathbb{R}^3}...
  44. P

    Charged sphere and charged conducting shell

    Homework Statement A + q = 5 pC charge is uniformly distributed on a non-conducting sphere of radius a= 5 cm , which is placed in the center of a spherical conducting shell of inner radius b = 10 cm and outer radius c = 12 cm. The outer conducting shell is charged with a -q charge. Determine...
  45. esha

    Potential energy and equilibrium

    It is said that a negative potential energy gives stable equilibrium but a positive potential energy gives an unstable equilibrium. why is it so?
  46. G

    Electric Fields and Electric Potential

    Homework Statement An Electron enters a parallel plate apparatus that is 8cm long and 4cm wide. The electron has a horizontal speed of 6*10^7 m/s. The potential difference between the plates is 6*10^2 V. Calculate the electrons velocity as it leaves the plates. (ans. 6*10^7 m/s [E 3.3° N])...
  47. binbagsss

    Quantum Theory: derive EoM of action for a 'general' potential

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  48. jlmccart03

    Calculate electric potential from a graph

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  49. P

    Change in potential energy of air in a piston-cylinder system

    1. Homework Statement This is my first question and I'll try to stick to the forum rules as much as possible. imgur.com/a/2JyZC Imagine a cylinder filled with air which is uniformly distributed and a piston above it, so the air can expand vertically. Let the system be the air itself, so the...
  50. M

    I Potential terms in SE & Quantum Chemistry

    I bought this book "Idiot's Guide to Quantum Physics" I bought it because I know I am an idiot in quantum physics. Now I have a question about the contents. It says that: "The four fundamental forces in nature (gravity, electromagnetism, plus two more that we'll formally introduce in Chapter...
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