How can an object move without acceleration?

[Evenus1]

hi every one.
ive been digging around on the idea of volt edge and have come across the idea that potential difference is the difference in electrical potential. this is the energy required to move a particle between two reference points without acceleration?
i apologies at my lack of knowledge but am only doing my GCSE's. any ways how can an object move without acceleration between two points and there be a difference in this.
many thanks
Ewen shackel

 

[Dale]

It can move at a constant velocity. Although, often people mean "negligible acceleration" when they say "constant velocity".

 

[Evenus1]

ok so would we say that the particles are already moving but at different speeds and that this difference is what we are measuring when we measure voltage?
and thank you for your reply

 

[Dale]

Not the difference in speed, but the difference in work. So say we have two particles moving at whatever constant speed they happen to be moving at. One takes twice as much work as the other, so the potential difference was twice as much as the other. The speed is irrelevant as long as it is constant.

 

[Evenus1]

Not the difference in speed, but the difference in work. So say we have two particles moving at whatever constant speed they happen to be moving at. One takes twice as much work as the other, so the potential difference was twice as much as the other. The speed is irrelevant as long as it is constant.

ahh thank you very much that hass clear up the idea a lot.

 

[Dcastillo]

Not the difference in speed, but the difference in work. So say we have two particles moving at whatever constant speed they happen to be moving at. One takes twice as much work as the other, so the potential difference was twice as much as the other. The speed is irrelevant as long as it is constant.

Out of curiosity, does everything have an initial acceleration? obviously they have to start from 0 and rise to get to a constant velocity correct? trying piece things together with the same subject.
thank you.

 

[Dale]

obviously they have to start from 0 and rise to get to a constant velocity correct?

This is not necessary. If it starts at 0 in some reference frame then in other frames that same thing will not start at 0.