Understanding Work and Energy Transfer: The Relationship and Implications

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Work is defined as the transfer of energy through the application of force over a distance, calculated as the product of force and distance. If no movement occurs, no work is done, leading to the question of energy output despite exertion. Scenarios illustrate that while a person may exert energy without moving an object, the work equation indicates zero output, raising questions about energy conservation. The discussion also touches on gravitational forces, noting that while they exert influence, they do not perform work in the traditional sense as defined by the equation. Ultimately, the conversation emphasizes the need for a deeper understanding of work, energy, and their interrelations in physical systems.
  • #201
The electron is not static, it is dynamic. It's position from the nucleus varies. The orbital is not a definite distanct from the nucleus. It is the probability area of finding an electron in the vicinity. The electron is not able to go outside of the orbital unless acted upon by an outside source, but the electron is liable ti "fall" into the nucleus when it is receeding from an outside distant. The electron's mass and charge is spread throughout the orbital.

It doesn't matter! The fact that it stays in a specific area while orbiting is my point. If it was spending energy to keep it's orbit then the electron would lose mass very quickly and eventually disapear. But since this obviously doesn't happen, it must be possible to exert a force without needing a constant supply of energy.
 
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  • #202
urtalkinstupid said:
Tom Mattson, what kind of cliff are we talking about? Cliff come in all varieties.

Nereid, why don't you answer my questions first?

1) Why are you so nosey?
2) Why are you so nosey?
I'm afraid I don't understand your questions. Perhaps that's because you have not read or understood my earlier posts. An alternative explanation is that you are a troll.

To repeat what I said earlier: "urtalkinstupid, I've read many of your posts, both in this thread and others. I have slowly formed the opinion that you are posting to the wrong forum; it seems you have a great disdain for how science is done, and no real interest in either showing that it's an inappropriate approach to learning about the universe (in which case I expect that you'd be a frequent contributor to the Philosophy of Science and Mathematics section), or debating its weaknesses within the framework of science itself.

If my observation is at least partly correct, why do you post to PF at all?[/color]"

and

"And indeed they are (I don't think I said otherwise, did I?).

Since you did not answer my question, let me try to ask it in another way (perhaps you didn't understand my question):

PF is a forum for the discussion of physics, and other sciences. One of the cornerstones of science today is, in simple terms, the scientific method (please let me know if you are unfamiliar with what this is).

Since PF is about science, I personally expect that everyone who posts to the science threads in PF - and that includes Theory Development - has at least the intention of respecting the scientific method.

If a person has issues with the scientific method, then PF has a section where folk may discuss and debate that very topic.

When I read your posts, you appear (to me) to disparage the scientific method, and to consider it unworthy of your time to learn about it (which may explain why you don't appear to be interested to discuss the nature of science, in the Philosophy of Science and Mathematics section for example). A good example of what I mean is your apparent unwillingness to accept or consider scientific method-based questions and critiques of your own ideas.

To ask again: why are you here?[/color]"

and

"Do you consider PF to be a site where physics (and other sciences) is discussed, as science?

Do you recognise that discussion of physics, as a science, should be conducted on its own terms? In case this isn't clear, let me give you an analogy: if we are having a discussion on apple pie in the context of cooking, recipes and so forth, I personally would not consider it appropriate to talk about sexual fantasies concerning apple pies in that discussion, or whether the Sun is powered by a giant apple pie.

urtalkinstudid, just so that you don't make any further unwarranted assumptions, let me be clear as to my intention: I think the evidence is overwhelming that you are a troll, and so feel that you should be immediately banned from PF. However, I first want to make sure that you really do understand what PF is and what it's trying to do.

(for the avoidance of doubt, I personally have no power to ban anyone)[/color]"

To my first asking, you replied: "Nereid, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Whether it be right or wrong.[/color]"

To my second post, you replied: "No, but I implied that you took it into assumption that your opinion was right. Otherwise you wouldn't question my presence on this forum.

I'm here for the heck of it. I like this site, though I'm liked by very few...none. You people have actually inspired me to make a website based on the Standard odel. Isn't that exciting. A site made by me with no absurd theories! Perhaps, I will understand the Standard Model more?? Maybe, I'm here to play as the devil's advocate. Just to spur up debates. Who knows?[/color]"

And to my last, "Ok, I'm sure you guys have been waiting to hear this. You're right. Are you people happy? Are your egos satisfied? Though I say this with the least of sincerity.

Just because I propose an opposition to what is currently accepted, I am assumed to contain little knowledge of a whole subject. I know that isn't true. I have no problem with anyone here, but I'm sure a lot of you have a problem with me. So, chroot, if you can tell me how I can take my account off this forum MYSELF, I'll be glad to relieve you of doing the honor. This forum is obviously not a place to discuss ideas. You people have made that apprehensible. I did not sign up for this forum to harm others. I did not sign up for this forum to make a mockery of anyone, but you people seem to think otherwise.

Your cryptic judgements and inability to seek further than what you have been taught has lead me to the conclusion that you are just a bunch of mindless dummies being controlled by a ventriloquist (Standard Model). When the ventriloquist is provoked you are ordered to defend it, in fear of the Standard Model being replaced by something that provides a better model of what is really happening. Just because my ideas do not tie in the current model, does not mean they are blemished. Maybe the ideas I propose have no connection what so ever to the current model. Whatever be the reason for you judging it so crudely, I don't know. A lot of times when someone propose a new idea in a situtation, it has nothing to do with previous proposals.

If you people want me to delete my account, I'll feel free to rid myself of this abhorrent site they associate with physics. chroot, if I am unable to do it, would you delete my account for me, if you really want to?

When scientist are baffled to the point where current science will never be able to explain anything, be sure to notice what type of new ideas arise to explain what underlies everything. So, this has been my valediction, unless you people can tolerate me. If not, later. I'll continue to pursue my ideas.

Janna, have fun if you continue to be a memeber. Amman told me that these people are not worth arguing over. He's seen their arguements, and is at dismay. I know you can't resist what amman thinks.[/color]"

To me, this reply is, at best a clumsy attempt to avoid fessing up to your reasons for being here; at worst what I imagine is a section from a tome that might be called "Trolling, a Practical Guide to Implementation" Some might give your plea of innocence and persecution the benefit of the doubt; to me, the clear intelligence that you've shown in many posts is a sign of deliberate disingenuousness. And if anyone were in any doubt, your reply (quoted at the top of this post) must surely have been very revealing; the phrase 'adding insult to injury' comes to mind.

Note to Moderators: I feel urtalkinstupid has been given ample opportunity to post here in a manner consistent with what PF is all about, but has instead continued to behave like a troll. I would be glad to see him banned.
 
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  • #203
urtalkinstupid said:
Tom Mattson, what kind of cliff are we talking about? Cliff come in all varieties.

It doesn't matter what kind of cliff it is.
 
  • #204
If that be the case, then the Earth is a huge spherical cliff. Since gravitational attraction relies on the distance away from the core.
 
  • #205
urtalkinstupid said:
If that be the case, then the Earth is a huge spherical cliff. Since gravitational attraction relies on the distance away from the core.
That's exactly right.


Consider this, your potential gravity from Mars is MASSIVE. If you were to fall there (no other interaction, like the sun or earth) you would be moving pretty fast when you reached the planet. Depending on your "center" you have different potential energies. Really all you're calculating is the DIFFERENCE in potential energy. The potential energy on the ground is lower than that on a cliff.
 
  • #206
urtalkinstupid said:
If that be the case, then the Earth is a huge spherical cliff. Since gravitational attraction relies on the distance away from the core.

Right. And if you're on a cliff, you're farther away from the core than you are standing on the ground. Hence, your GPE is higher on the cliff. Simple.
 
  • #207
What I meant by my statement was that the bowling ball could be on the surface of the earth. It is said to have no PE there, but it really does. That's why I asked you to clarify what type of cliff you were talking about. The measure of potential is displacement from the Earth's surface, and if Earth is a huge cliff docked away from the center of gravity, the surface is 0 displacement ont he y-axis of space.
 
  • #208
urtalkinstupid said:
What I meant by my statement was that the bowling ball could be on the surface of the earth. It is said to have no PE there, but it really does.

The bowling ball is said to have no GPE at the surface of the Earth, when the datum is set at the surface of the Earth. Set it at r=infinity (as is often done in central force problems), and the GPE of the same bowling ball in the same location is nonzero. The value of GPE is physically meangless, and you can set the datum wherever you like. It's the gradient of the GPE function that is physically meaningful, because that is what is related to the force exerted on the object via the gravitational field.

That's why I asked you to clarify what type of cliff you were talking about.

And the type of cliff is still irrelevant. Given a mass distribution and a datum, GPE is a function of position.
 
  • #209
Well, that all ties in with how much the bowling ball weighs and it's displacement from the SURFACE. So, the type of cliff is needed. According to the real definition of PE would give the bowling ball PE at the surface (this was already stated). Let's get into science intensley and take everything literally. Take the extra precautions as well.
 
  • #210
urtalkinstupid said:
Well, that all ties in with how much the bowling ball weighs and it's displacement from the SURFACE. So, the type of cliff is needed.

No. GPE is a function of position, not the type of cliff.

According to the real definition of PE would give the bowling ball PE at the surface (this was already stated).

According to the real definition of PE, you would have to specify the datum before saying what the GPE of the bowling ball is.
 
  • #211
Type of cliff would include it's height from the ground (or core). I've already said that you would have to state the point at which y-position is 0.
 
  • #212
"UrTalk" was saying that ON the cliff, the ball has no potential energy because it's still touching the ground, OFF the cliff it does have potential energy because it has a distance to reach ground

Tom is saying that you're always measuring potential energy to the bottom of the cliff, even if the ball is sitting on the GROUND at the Edge of said cliff.

just clearing up where people are arguing from (which really isn't part of an argument in the first place, i guess we need to re-focus)
 
  • #213
No, that is not what I was saying. Try again.
 
  • #214
urtalkinstupid said:
Type of cliff would include it's height from the ground (or core).

And as I keep telling you, the height from the ground is all you need to know. You do not need to know anything about the cliff at all. If you took a picture of the bowling ball with a long measuring stick in the background and told me the mass of the ball, and edited out the cliff, I could still tell you what the GPE is with the ground as the datum.

I don't know how to make it any clearer than that that the cliff is purely incidental to the setup.

I've already said that you would have to state the point at which y-position is 0.

You're sending mixed signals then, because the "real definition of PE" by itself does not include the datum.
 
  • #215
urtalkinstupid said:
No, that is not what I was saying. Try again.

That's exactly what you were saying.
 
  • #216
So, is it the type of cliff that is 385m above ground or the type that is 386.3m above the ground?

I simply said that to mess with you people...wow, you people are freaking serious.
 
  • #217
urtalkinstupid said:
I simply said that to mess with you people...wow, you people are freaking serious.
Okay, that's enough for me. Wave bye-bye.

- Warren
 
  • #218
urtalkinstupid said:
I simply said that to mess with you people...wow, you people are freaking serious.

No, you said it because you had a serious misconception about gravitational potential energy, which is why I corrected you. But rather than admit the error and thank me (as I would do in the extremely unlikely event that the shoe is ever on the other foot), you backpeddaled like a know-it-all brat who couldn't possibly make a mistake.
 
  • #219
urtalkinstupid said:
I simply said that to mess with you people...wow, you people are freaking serious.
Interesting catch-22 you put yourself in there: on the one hand you could admit being wrong, learn something and gain our respect, on the other hand you could admit being a troll and a menace to this forum. Interesting choice you made. But it does simplify our job somewhat...
 
  • #220
i knew they were trolls from day one, but nooooo. no one listens to me...
 
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