Potential Energy

Potential Energy

Potential energy, in physics, can be described as the energy that is stored in a body perhaps in a system due to its current position in a certain force field or perhaps because of its configuration. The term potential energy was first coined by William Rankine who is a Scottish engineer and physicist in the 19^th century. This type of energy is termed potential because of the fact that when it is in its current form, there is no change in the surroundings that can be noted and there is no work that is done. However, potential energy has the capacity or perhaps potential to be converted into other forms of energy like kinetic energy. Potential energy is measure through the use of a standard unit of measurement called Joule.

Whenever an object is displaced from the position it was originally set, certain energy is actually pulling it back to its original position. This is when potential energy is noted to exist. Let us take for example a ball that is tied to a string. The ball with the string actually has the energy that can be converted to kinetic energy when the ball is displaced and then allowed to return to the position in which it was originally set. The same concept is observed with a weight that is held above the ground. When an object is held above the ground, potential energy can be observed as the object is released and gravity pulls it back to the position the object was originally placed which is on the ground.

There are several concepts that are included for topics related to potential energy. One of the major principles is the principle on the law of the conservation of energy. The law of the conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed. Let us take for example the energy that is used to lift an object or perhaps compress a string. This energy will not disappear as this energy is simply stored as potential energy. After, the stored energy or potential energy is then released as a kinetic energy. The energy is released through a force called restoring force. Basically, this principle states that the energy that is input is actually equal to the output energy. Basing from this concept, there is actually no gain or loss that can be noted on the overall energy.

Types of Potential Energy

There are many types of potential energy. To better understand the different types, there is a need to read on the descriptions and note some examples of the specific type of energy.

• Gravitational potential energy occurs when potential energy is stored in an object as a result of the objects height or vertical position. This type of potential energy is actually dependent on two important factors – the weight of the object and the height at which it is being held to. It can also be noted that there is a direct relation between this type of energy and the mass of the object. If the object is heavy then it can be concluded that there will also be a greater gravitational energy that can noted. Likewise, a direct relation can also be noted between this type of energy and the height of the object. The higher the object is going to be elevated, the greater amount in the gravitational potential energy.
  
  

• Potential elastic energy is found in objects that are elastic and is stretched or perhaps deformed under stress. Some examples of elastic objects are rubber band or bow. For this type of energy, it can be noted that the amount of potential elastic energy that is stored in an elastic object is actually related to the amount of the stretch done to the device. Basically, the potential elastic energy follows the concept that when there is more stretch, there is more stored energy that can be noted.
  
  

• Potential chemical energy is the type of potential energy that is found on the molecules’ chemical bonds. This type of energy will be transformed to the other forms of energy when the bonds of the molecules are reformed or broken.
  
  

• Potential electrical energy has three primary forms. The three primary forms of this type of potential energy are electrostatic, electrodynamic as well as the nuclear form. Potential electrostatic energy occurs when the charged particle is at rest. The potential energy that can be noted in this condition will come from the position of the charged particle in relation to the other charged particles. On the other hand, potential electrodynamic energy occurs when charged particles are moving. Moving charged particles are able to form an electromagnetic field that is capable of changing or moving objects. Potential nuclear energy, on the other hand, occurs because of the relationship that can be noted between subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom. Subatomic particles will include protons, electrons as well as neutrons.

Conclusion

Learning about stored energy is never really that difficult as long as you are able to grasp the basic concepts of the topic. It would help a lot if you are able to identify examples on the different types of stored energy so that you can better understand each type of energy. It would also help to read on some articles that talks about this topic and its practical and real time occurrences that can be found today. This way, you will be able to relate the concepts in real life happenings.

Despite the various forms of this type of energy, potential energy can always be described as a type of energy that is stored in an object because of its position that is relative to some zero position. This type of energy also has the capacity to do work on its own. In addition to this capability, this type of energy is also capable of changing into other forms of energy. The change to other forms of energy can cause the change or perhaps allow work to occur.