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Energy is a scalar quantity, and the mechanical energy of a system is the sum of the potential energy (which is measured by the position of the parts of the system) and the kinetic energy (which is also called the energy of motion): [1] [2]
Power in mechanical systems is the combination of forces and movement. In particular, power is the product of a force on an object and the object's velocity, or the product of a torque on a shaft and the shaft's angular velocity. Mechanical power is also described as the time derivative of work.
The ancient Greek understanding of physics was limited to the statics of simple machines (the balance of forces), and did not include dynamics or the concept of work. During the Renaissance the dynamics of the Mechanical Powers, as the simple machines were called, began to be studied from the standpoint of how far they could lift a load, in addition to the force they could apply, leading ...
The energy of a mechanical harmonic oscillator (a mass on a spring) is alternately kinetic and potential energy. At two points in the oscillation cycle it is entirely kinetic, and at two points it is entirely potential. Over a whole cycle, or over many cycles, average energy is equally split between kinetic and potential.
In physics, the kinetic energy of an object is the form of energy that it possesses due to its motion. [ 1 ] In classical mechanics , the kinetic energy of a non-rotating object of mass m traveling at a speed v is 1 2 m v 2 {\textstyle {\frac {1}{2}}mv^{2}} .
For instance, in Newtonian mechanics, the kinetic energy of a free particle is E = 1 / 2 mv 2, whereas in relativistic mechanics, it is E = (γ − 1)mc 2 (where γ is the Lorentz factor; this formula reduces to the Newtonian expression in the low energy limit).
Classical mechanics is the branch of physics used to describe the motion of macroscopic objects. [1] It is the most familiar of the theories of physics. The concepts it covers, such as mass, acceleration, and force, are commonly used and known. [2]
Potential energy is the energy by virtue of an object's position relative to other objects. [6] Potential energy is often associated with restoring forces such as a spring or the force of gravity. The action of stretching a spring or lifting a mass is performed by an external force that works against the force field of the potential.