Derivatives of Energy: 2nd Time Rate of Change, Useless in Physics?

[dsaun777]

I have seen the usage of a term which corresponds to changing energy per time and that would be power. Are there any such corresponding terms that can be described as 2nd time rate of change of energy, a sort of acceleration of energy. Is such a notion non existent in physics and completely useless?

 

[Nugatory]

a sort of acceleration of energy. Is such a notion non existent in physics and completely useless?

The notion exists - it's the rate of change of power with time - but there aren't that many situations where it's needed. We usually care more about how much energy is being delivered at a given moment then whether it will be more or less a moment later.

 

[sysprog]

In race-car performance measuring, for example, not only velocity (1st derivative of position wrt time), and acceleration (2nd derivative), but also, jerk (3rd), and jounce-snap (4th -- rate of change in rate of change of acceleration), are measured for all of the over-time changes and their accumulating results in every part of each of the torque-rpm pictures.

 

[Filip Larsen]

If you include engineering in physics, then change of power is a concept that, not surprisingly, is a pretty important concept in (electrical) power engineering.

 

[anorlunda]

If you include engineering in physics, then change of power is a concept that, not surprisingly, is a pretty important concept in (electrical) power engineering.

That's true but we don't have a special word for it. Just "rate of change of power." or "global growth in power demand."