How Do Potential and Kinetic Energy Work Together in Flywheel Energy Storage?

AI Thread Summary
Energy is defined as the ability to do work and encompasses both kinetic and potential energy. A flywheel stores energy through its rotational motion, utilizing its inertia to stabilize speed fluctuations in a system. The energy stored in a flywheel is calculated using the formula E=(1/2)Iw^2, where I is the moment of inertia and w is the angular velocity. The discussion highlights the misconception that only potential energy can do work, emphasizing that kinetic energy also plays a crucial role, particularly in dynamic interactions like collisions. Overall, the conversation clarifies the relationship between energy types and their capacity to perform work.
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What is energy?How a flywheel stores energy? What is the physics behind that?
 
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Inertia. A flywheel is meant to have a mass that is, compared to the system it is in, rather large. Once the flywheel is brought up to operating speed, it's inertia helps to eliminate or reduce speed fluctuations in the system.
 
The energy in a flywheel is E=(1/2)Iw^2.
By making the wheel rotate, this energy can be stored.
The energy can later be used by connecting to the rotating wheel.
 
Energy is the ability to do work.
 
No, I think the abillity to do work is potential energy. Energy is the sum of kinetic energy and potential energy.
 
pocoman said:
No, I think the abillity to do work is potential energy. Energy is the sum of kinetic energy and potential energy.


So you are implying that only potential energy can do work? How would you explain a collision situation when an object (such as a billiard) collides with another billiard to change the kinetic energy of the collided billiard(changing it's velocity to a nonzero value, thereby giving it a kinetic energy)? (any change in energy is caused by work being done, therefore the colliding billiard did work on the collided billiard.)
 

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