Does Potential Energy Always Decrease with Conservative Force?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the relationship between potential energy and conservative forces, specifically whether potential energy always decreases in the direction of a conservative force. The scope includes theoretical considerations and mathematical reasoning related to potential energy functions.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that potential energy decreases in the direction of a conservative force, citing the definition of potential energy as related to the work done by the force.
  • Another participant challenges this by presenting an example of an inverse square force, suggesting that in this case, potential energy increases in the direction of the force.
  • A subsequent reply corrects the potential energy function presented in the example, asserting that it should be negative in the context of the inverse square force.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on whether potential energy always decreases in the direction of a conservative force, with at least one example provided that appears to contradict the initial claim. The discussion remains unresolved.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved mathematical details regarding the potential energy function for the inverse square force, and the discussion relies on specific definitions and assumptions about conservative forces.

pratikaman
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is it true that potential energy of a particle always decreases in the direction of conservative force acting on it.
 
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hi pratikaman! :smile:
pratikaman said:
is it true that potential energy of a particle always decreases in the direction of conservative force acting on it.

potential energy is defined as minus the work done by a conservative force

so yes, if your displacement is in the direction of the force, the work done is positive, and so the potential energy difference is negative :wink:
 
ok take a inverse square force like A/r^2 always pointing towards origin. where 'A' is some constant and 'r' is distance from origin of force. then potential energy function for this is U= A/r + c . where c is arbitrary constant. then potential in this case increases in direction of force.
 
no, U= -A/r + c :wink:
 

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