Module 6 Glossary
Glossary
conservative force: a force such as gravity, acting in an isolated system where the total work done is independent of the path an object is moved through
efficiency: the ratio of the output (useful work) to the input (total energy used)
Expressed as an equation, it is
Since the input and output occur in the same time interval, efficiency can be determined using either power or energy.
elastic potential energy: energy stored in a spring or elastic object that has been compressed or stretched
gravitational potential energy: the potential energy of an object due to its height above Earth
Hooke's law: the amount of stretch (deformation) of an elastic object is proportional to the force applied to deform it
kinetic energy: energy that a body has because of its motion
law of conservation of energy: a principle that states that within an isolated system, energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be converted from one form to another
mechanical energy: the sum of potential energy and kinetic energy
mechanical system: a system that has both potential and kinetic energy
non-conservative force: a force acting on a non-isolated system from outside the system or from friction; a force where the total work done depends on the path an object is moved through
power: the rate of doing work
work: the energy transferred by a force to a moving object; the product of a force and the distance through which the force is applied
work-energy theorem: a statement that says the work done on a closed system is equal to the sum of the changes in the potential and kinetic energies of the system
work-potential energy theorem: a statement that says the work done in a gravitational field is equal to the change in potential energy