Energy is a quantity which gives an overview of the amount of work doable by the system.

learn more… | top users | synonyms

0
votes
0answers
23 views

Existence of Boltzmann Distribution With Constraints [closed]

I have a problem with showing the existence of Boltzmann distribution given some constraints. Consider $p_1,...,p_n$ a Boltzmann distibution, where $p_i=\frac{\epsilon^{-\beta \cdot E_i}}{\sum_{j}^{} ...
0
votes
1answer
33 views

Hamiltonion in 2-dimensions?

I am trying to construct a Hamiltonian for a system in 2 dimensions using Matlab. I am not sure how this Hamiltonian will look like in matrix form. If somebody can help me visualize this matrix that ...
0
votes
1answer
64 views

How do we know that time and distance are not discrete?

I know that it is believed that energy is discrete, in that it travels in quanta. I was wondering if there is any evidence which either proves or disproves something similar with both time and ...
26
votes
4answers
2k views

Why doesn't light kill me?

I was attending my philosophy class and in the middle of student presentations, I found myself mentally wondering off and thinking about light. After a few minutes of trying to piece together how the ...
1
vote
2answers
59 views

Energy dependent Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution

I'm having a bit of a problem figuring out the energy dependent Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution. According to my book (Ashcroft & Mermin) they write the velocity dependent distribution as: ...
2
votes
2answers
56 views

What is the derivation for the exponential energy relation and where does it apply?

Very often when people state a relaxation time $\tau_\text{kin-kin}, \tau_\text{rot-kin}$,, etc. they think of a context where the energy relaxation goes as $\propto\text e^{-t/\tau}$. Related is an ...
5
votes
2answers
159 views

First law of thermodynamics?

The first law says that the change in internal energy is equal to the work done on the system (W) minus the work done by the system (Q). However, can $Q$ be any kind of work, such as mechanical work? ...
4
votes
1answer
111 views

Why do wind power plants have just 3 blades? [duplicate]

Why do wind power plants have just 3 blades? It seems that adding more blades would increase the area that interacts with the wind and gather more energy. (Image from Wikipedia.)
5
votes
1answer
64 views

Do electrons need specific energies to excite electrons

Photons need specific energy levels, equal to the difference between two energy levels to excite an electron in an atom. Is this the same case with electrons that collide with atoms?
0
votes
2answers
60 views

Why is potential energy negative when orbiting in a gravitational field?

I had to do a problem, and part of it was to find the mechanical energy of satellite orbiting around mars, and I had all of the information I needed. I thought the total mechanical energy would be the ...
0
votes
0answers
48 views

Work And Energy Question [closed]

$H = 3\text{ m}$,$m=2\text{ kg}$ The right side is rough. I want to figure: what is the coefficient of friction $\mu$? How high and exceed the maximum return on the plane right body? I know ...
1
vote
4answers
84 views

The Preference for Low Energy States

The idea that systems will achieve the lowest energy state they can because they are more "stable" is clear enough. My question is, what causes this tendency? I've researched the question and been ...
1
vote
2answers
104 views

Negative potential energy of gravity

Does the negative potential energy in the gravitational field have to be considered in calculating the total mass of the system in question (because of $E=mc^2$)? If so it seems to me that the ...
0
votes
3answers
72 views

How do you determine the heat transfer from a P-V diagram?

I doubt this question has been addressed properly before, but if there are similar answers, do direct them to me. I am currently studying the First Law of Thermodynamics, which includes the p-V ...
3
votes
2answers
81 views

What happens to the energy not absorbed by a radio?

If a radio tunes to a specific frequency, where does the excess energy go? If one continues to hit the resonant frequency, shouldn't the wire begin to melt at some point from too much energy?
-3
votes
0answers
36 views

A space vehicle travelling at a velocity of 1296 (km/h) separates by a controlled explosion into two sections of mass 7276 (kg) and 236 (kg) [closed]

A space vehicle traveling at a velocity of 1296 (km/h) separated by a controlled explosion into two sections of mass 7276 (kg) and 236 (kg). the two parts continue in the same direction with the ...
0
votes
0answers
27 views

Energy or Work done to pull an Iron cyclinder into a Solenoid

RadiI have been following the calcuations from these lecture slides here (slide 11). Where the slides attempt to approximate how much a solenoid pulls, by working out the energy required to pull an ...
3
votes
1answer
59 views

Why does compressing a piston increase the internal energy?

When we compress a piston, its total internal energy increases, however I don't understand why. As the piston compresses, the temperature should change, as the total energy density increases. As a ...
1
vote
2answers
132 views

What does it mean if a body has kinetic energy?

What does it mean if a body has kinetic energy? Does it mean that the momentum vectors of each particle of that body has the same direction? What about angular momentum?
0
votes
1answer
34 views

What lifting mechanism is likely to have the best energy recovery ratio?

Suppose I was designing an apparatus which needed to lift 250kg 5cm high, hold it there for a few seconds, and then lower the object back to the original height. Such a process would need to be ...
-2
votes
1answer
61 views

Why are electrons in one atom attracted to negative electrons in another atom? [closed]

Why or for what purpose is this attraction purposeful or what is the reasoning behind why these energy particles are drawn to each other? Any proven results, or proposed theories of your own, or ...
0
votes
0answers
35 views

What is the total work done in this problem? [closed]

A 1800 kg trick airplane is 450 m in the air. At this point the plane takes a dive with an initial speed of 42 m/s and accelerates to 64 m/s, dropping a total distance of 120 m. (a) Using the ground ...
0
votes
2answers
142 views

Perpendicular Elastic Collision (different masses, different velocities)

I'm stuck on a mechanics problem and I can't make any headway past momentum and kinetic energy being conserved. Here is the problem: Two hover cars are approaching an intersection from ...
0
votes
1answer
36 views

Pendulum system: how is derived the output as Energy?

Good day to everyone, I want to understand in which way the "Energy equation" is been implemented to this pendulum system. $x_1(t)$: The angular position of the mass $x_2(t)$: The angular velocity ...
1
vote
1answer
51 views

Maximum separation when 2 unlike charges shot apart

I want to compute the maximum separation when 2 unlike charges are shot apart from each other ...
1
vote
3answers
131 views

Integrating factor $1/T$ in 2nd Law of Thermodynamics

How would you prove that $1/T$ is the most suitable integrating factor to transform $\delta Q$ to an exact differential in the second law of thermodynamics: $$dS = \frac{\delta Q}{T}$$ Where $dS$ is ...
16
votes
2answers
686 views

Why can't Humans run any faster?

If you wanted to at least semi-realistically model the key components of Human running, what are the factors that determine the top running speed of an individual? The primary things to consider would ...
0
votes
3answers
84 views

Why doesn't a stationary electron lose energy by radiating electric field (as per coulomb's law)?

If an electron in a universe constantly generates an electric field why does it not get annihilated ? I am confused because I read that an accelerating charge radiates and loses energy. So, why won't ...
0
votes
1answer
39 views

Composition of solar spectrum

I read some where that there are three types of UV and infrared rays namely UV-A, UV-B, UV-C and near infrared, mid infrared and far infrared. Which is the most abundant among the the three in ...
1
vote
1answer
46 views

Total energy is extremal for the static solutions of equation of motions

In physics total energy is extremal for the static solutions of equation of motions. Can anyone explain this sentence to me?
0
votes
1answer
80 views

Energy stored in fields

How to intuitively think of energy stored in a magnetic/electric field? Kindly answer in a bit simple terms without referring to mathematics.
2
votes
1answer
88 views

Energy Functional

I am a graduate student in pure mathematics, during my study on Ricci Flow I faced some functional known as energy functional. For example Einstein-Hilbert functional is called an energy functional, ...
0
votes
1answer
81 views

Energy needed to lift and bring down an object

A mass of 0.5 Kg needs to be moved from point A to another point (B) which is 1 meters above point A. The time for this movement should be 0.2 seconds, then the mass is kept at position B for another ...
1
vote
1answer
62 views

Basic energy calculation for N identical spin system

We have a system that has N identical spins $n_i$, and each spin can be in state 1 or 0. The overall energy for the system is $\epsilon\sum_{i=1}^{N}n_i$. My understanding: There is only one ...
1
vote
1answer
54 views

Fundamental properties of motion

The first paragraph of the Wikipedia article on the angular momentum operator states that In both classical and quantum mechanical systems, angular momentum (together with linear momentum and ...
1
vote
0answers
79 views

General physics question involving Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle

Question: An unstable particle produced in a high-energy collision is measured to have an energy of $483\ \mathrm{MeV}$ and an uncertainty in energy of $84\ \mathrm{keV}$. Use the Heisenberg ...
3
votes
0answers
47 views

How to convert Richter magnitude scale to approximate TNT?

I know the Richter magnitude scale is often used for measuring the strength of earthquakes. At the same time, explosive/destructive releases of energy are often quoted in equivalent amounts of TNT. Is ...
0
votes
1answer
46 views

What energy changes take place when you operate a jet-ski?

What energy changes take place when you operate a jet-ski?
38
votes
9answers
3k views

What makes running so much less energy-efficient than bicycling?

Most people can ride 10 km on their bike. However, running 10 km is a lot harder to do. Why? According to the law of conservation of energy, bicycling should be more intensive because you have to ...
-1
votes
1answer
55 views

Determine KE of electron given momentum & mass [closed]

Some info: wavelength of electron: $2.78 \times 10^{-10}$ momentum of electron: $2.38 \times 10^{-24}$ Determine KE of electron. In a provided hint: $KE = \frac{p^2}{2m}$. So I have: $$KE = ...
0
votes
1answer
75 views

Simple harmonic oscillator system and changes in its total energy

Suppose I have a body of mass $M$ connected to a spring (which is connected to a vertical wall) with a stiffness coefficient of $k$ on some frictionless surface. The body oscillates from point $C$ to ...
0
votes
2answers
66 views

Is it possible to “add cold” or to “add heat” to systems?

Amanda just poured herself a cup of hot coffee to get her day started. She took her first sip and nearly burned her tongue. Since she didn't have much time to sit and wait for it to cool down, ...
0
votes
1answer
47 views

Liquid oxygen how do they use it as fuel?

Rockets are said to be using liquid oxygen as fuel. How do they use liquid oxygen since it's just oxygen, it only helps in the combustion process. How can it be a fuel on its own?
1
vote
2answers
133 views

Energy of particle in electric field

I'm taking a physics class and the professor teaches us really basic things in lecture and then gives homework way beyond what he taught in lecture. Obviously I need to find some resource other than ...
4
votes
1answer
78 views

Mass-energy equivalence and Newton's Second Law of motion

According to Einstein's Mass-energy equivalence, $ E = mc^2$ OR $ m = \frac E{c^2}$..... (1) and According to Newton's Second Law of motion, $ F = ma$ OR $m = \frac Fa$ ..... (2) If we compare eq. ...
0
votes
0answers
36 views

Time reversed laser

Recently, I read an article on time reversed laser. I don't know why they call it a time reversed. I have a doubt that why they use two laser in the device. And what is an anti-laser? The device ...
1
vote
3answers
125 views

Universe to energy

Would it violate any known laws of physics to construct a universe containing no mass, only energy?
1
vote
1answer
76 views

Calculate/estimate power of a fission bomb

I have some questions about the released energy and power of a nuclear fission bomb. What are the key dependencies of the power of a fission bomb? Is it true that the power of a fission bomb depends ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views

How to find work done due to friction [closed]

The force F=40N is applied on a 10kg block at an angle of 36 with the horizontal. The block moves a distance of 15m. If the surface is frictionless. If the coefficient of kinetic friction is 0.25, ...
2
votes
2answers
108 views

What particles carry various forms of energy?

If I didn't get this wrong, light or heat energy consists of photons and they in turn effect electrons' behavior and thus responsible for chemical and electrical energy. What kind of similar particle ...

1 2 3 4 5 12