Checking if a Force is Conservative: A Tutorial

AI Thread Summary
To determine if a force is conservative, one can check if it conserves mechanical energy. A mathematical proof exists involving concepts like curl and line integrals, which may not be familiar to all students. Resources such as Wikipedia provide explanations of this proof. Understanding these principles is essential for applying the concept of conservative forces effectively. Familiarity with these mathematical tools can enhance comprehension of conservative forces in physics.
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Homework Statement



I found this question (pic) how do I check if a force is conservative or not?

10x.

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The Attempt at a Solution

 

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If I remember correctly, forces which conserve mechanical energy are conservative forces.
 
rock.freak667 said:
If I remember correctly, forces which conserve mechanical energy are conservative forces.

isn't there a mathematic proof to a conservative forces?
 
Well there is a proof but I was never taught things like curl and line integrals so...

But I see that Wikipedia has something on the proof.
 

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