Potential Definition and 1000 Threads

  1. patric44

    A non-spherical Earth's gravitational potential?

    hi guys i was reading a book on astrodynamics and was trying to understand the mathematical treatment of the Earth gravitational potential . i kinda understand the main idea , after reaching the following equation of the potential in terms of the Legendre polynomials : ##\alpha = r_{Q}/r##...
  2. A

    Who invented electric potential and why?

    Why was that concept necessary ?, I know there's also a gravitational equivalent of this concept I couldn't find anything on google Thanks Daniel
  3. LCSphysicist

    Potential inside a concentric sphere

    I am rather confused how to answer this (Please focus on "find the potential at the center"): I thought that would be a good idea try to answer this with the Poisson equation. $$\nabla \phi = - \frac{\rho}{\epsilon}$$ So that, since the eletric field inside a hollow spherical shell is zero, the...
  4. PhysicsTest

    What is the instantaneous potential?

    From the previous posts help i am able to understand make some progress, thank you very much. I am trying only the part a of the problem, once it is ok i try c and d, the problem is I do not have answers, so i cannot confirm if my working is correct or wrong. a. ##ma = qE## -> eq1 ##V1 = 10t...
  5. J

    What effects does an electric field have on potential energy?

    Like an electric field is applying a sort of force on a particle. I was wondering if this at all impacts the potential energy of a particle. For instance, when the force of gravity does work on an object, its potential energy changes as a consequence. Would it be the same thing here?
  6. M

    A sudden change in the depth of delta function potential well

    is it correct that the continuum states will be free particle states? and the probability will be |< Ψf | ΨB>|^2 . Where Ψf is the wave function for free particle and ΨB is the wave function for the bound state when the depth is B.
  7. PhysicsTest

    What Is the Difference Between Potential and Potential Energy in Electronics?

    I want to know the difference between potential and potential energy. The potential is measured in volts and we provide potential ex 12V to a circuit. Some times we also say a potential energy to be applied to the electron ex. 1eV etc. I know eV is energy, but my question is do we need to...
  8. F

    Internal forces converting kinetic into potential energy (vice versa)

    Hello, Trivial question: a system is isolated and all its internal forces are conservative. Because of Newton's 3rd law, all internal forces are pairwise and the net internal force is always zero (regardless of the forces being conservative or not) hence the system's total momentum is conserved...
  9. Kaguro

    Probability dependence on potential

    I only know that if E>V, then the frequency would be higher where E-V is higher. But what does that have anything to do with probability?
  10. F

    Conservative forces, Nonconservative forces and Potential Energy

    Hello, I would like to review and validate some concepts that I have been recently thinking about. Hope this is correct and useful to others that need to refresh these concepts. Forces can be classified as either conservative or nonconservative. Dissipative forces are always nonconservative...
  11. Delta2

    The forgotten magnetic scalar potential

    I wonder if there is any book that discusses the possibility of existence of a magnetic scalar potential. That is a scalar potential ##\chi## such that $$\vec{B}=\nabla\chi+\nabla\times\vec{A}$$. From Gauss's law for the magnetic field B we can conclude that it will always satisfy laplace's...
  12. M

    I Potential step and tunneling effect

    We know that thanks to the tunnel effect, in the case of a finite potential step (V) and considering a stationary state, when a plane wave with energy E < V encounter the step the probabability that the wave-particle coming from -∞ (where potential is V=0) will be ≠ 0, in particular the wave...
  13. patric44

    Finding the magnetic field B given the vector potential A ?

    hi guys this seems like a simple problem but i am stuck reaching the final form as requested , the question is given the magnetic vector potential $$\vec{A} = \frac{\hat{\rho}}{\rho}\beta e^{[-kz+\frac{i\omega}{c}(nz-ct)]}$$ prove that $$B = (n/c + ik/\omega)(\hat{z}×\vec{E})$$ simple enough i...
  14. Peter Jones

    The oscillation of a particle in a special potential field

    I couldn't prove the first one but i tried to find the period F = -dU / dx = - d( U0tan^2( x / a ) ) / dx = - U0 ( ( 2 sec^2( x / a ) tan( x / a ) / a ) with F=d^2x/dt^2, tan(x/a)=x/a we have d^2x/dt^2 + U0 ( ( 2 sec^2( x / a ) ( x / a^2 ) =0 from there i don't know how to handle the...
  15. A

    I Static potential accelerator question

    From what I know accelerators that use cavities like LHC for example pass the protons multiple times around in order for the cavities to accelerate them at each pass to a higher energy, since they can't accelerate the protons to an energy high enough with just one pass. So the protons pass...
  16. Andrei0408

    Is d=r=0.5m or d=2r, so r=0.25m for Gravitational Potential Energy?

    I know I just have to replace in the equation, I just want to know, is d=r=0.5 m or is d=2r, so r = 0.25 m ?
  17. Andrei0408

    Expression of the force derived from this potential

    I just don't know what equations I should use, or what exactly I need to do. I just need some guidelines, thank you!
  18. L

    Separation of Variables: Find the potential b/w concentric hemispheres

    I'm having troubles setting up this problem. I know we are to use boundary conditions to determine An and Bn since in this case (a<r<b) neither can be set to 0. I don't know how the given potentials translate into boundary conditions, especially the V3 disk.
  19. Tony Hau

    Problems on magnetic vector potential

    The direction of the magnetic potential, ##\vec A##, must be in the direction of the current, which is in ##\hat z## direction in cylindrical coordinates. It is obvious that the potential only varies with ##s##. Therefore, $$\vec A = A(s) \hat z$$ Therefore, $$\nabla \times \vec A = \vec B$$...
  20. il postino

    Chemistry Calculate the potential at the equivalence point

    Data ##E^{0}_{I_2/I-}= 536mV## ##E^{0}_{Cr_2O_7^{2-}/Cr^{3+}}= 1330mV## ##I_{2} + 2e- \Leftrightarrow 2I^{-}## ##Cr_2O_7^{2-} + 14H^+ + 6e^- \Leftrightarrow 2Cr^{3+} + 7H_2O## Total Reaction ##6I^{-} + Cr_2O_7^{2-} + 14H^+ \Leftrightarrow 3I_{2} + 2Cr^{3+} + 7H_2O##...
  21. A

    33KV potential transformer design

    I am in a team of designing a 33KV potential transformer. We done secondary turn as 75 and primary turns as 15000 with core cross sectional area of 5000 sq.mm. As per IS standard we need to maintain a accuracy class of 0.2 at 50VA burden but we can't able to achieve it. Someone please help us to...
  22. greg_rack

    Final electric potential difference in a circuit with two capacitors

    So, each capacitor must have a different potential difference, given by its capacity and charge... this would cause charge and current accordingly to flow in the circuit. But how do I determine the final potential difference, which would of course be the same for both of them? I have tried...
  23. greg_rack

    Electric potential difference at the ends of a resistor

    So, having two parallel resistor ##R_{1}## and ##R_{2}## , the current flowing through the equivalent one will be ##I_{eq}=I_{1}+I_{2}##. Now, it comes the point I'm not totally getting: why is ##V_{eq}=V_{1}=V_{2}##? These V's are the difference of potential measured between which points...
  24. greg_rack

    Clarifications about electric potential and potential difference

    Specifically, I haven't really got all the "methods" through which you could calculate or derive the electric potential and in some situations, I cannot understand how and when to apply this concept. Is it something caused by any charge, or must there be an interaction between the two to...
  25. gonadas91

    A Random potential disorder average

    Hi, I have a basic question concerning disorder average in random potentials. Suppose we have a hamiltonian (in second quantised notation) in the form: $$H=H_{0}+\int d\vec{r}\psi^{\dagger}(\vec{r})V(\vec{r})\psi(\vec{r})$$ with ##V(\vec{r})## some random potential satisfying ##\langle...
  26. V

    I Infinite series calculation of a potential

    I'm trying to get from the formula in the top to the formula in the bottom (See image: Series). My approach was to complexify the sine term and then use the fact that (see image: Series 1) for the infinite sum of 1/ne^-n. Then use the identity (see image: Series 2). Any other ideas?
  27. M

    Physics C: Mechanics - Negative Energy and Potential Energy Curves

    I'm currently taking a course where we are working to teach older physics concepts and combine them with calculus. I was assigned to work on teaching a unit about energy; for the most part, it stays relatively consistent and can be solved algebraically. Another topic in this unit is Potential...
  28. AHSAN MUJTABA

    Electrostatics potential calculation for a uniformly charged square

    I took a surface element dA at the surface of square at point x',y' now I took a point on x-axis and calculated the flux. But I got a very complicated integral though it should be simple and I can't interpret it
  29. Adams2020

    Mass difference due to electrical potential energy

    I do not really know the relationship between potential energy and mass difference. Isn't the difference in mass of protons and neutrons due to their quarks? (the neutron is made of two down quarks and an up quark and the proton of two up quarks and a down quark.) Please help.
  30. Mayan Fung

    Perturbation from a quantum harmonic oscillator potential

    For the off-diagonal term, it is obvious that (p^2+q^2) returns 0 in the integration (##<m|p^2+q^2|n> = E<m|n> = 0##). However, (pq+qp) seems to give a complicated expression because of the complicated wavefunctions of a quantum harmonic oscillator. I wonder whether there is a good method to...
  31. J

    Gravitational Potential & Gravitational Potential Energy

    Hi, I am confused about the negative aspect of these quantities. The definition in my book for gravitational potential is: "The work done to move a unit mass from infinity to a point in a gravitational field" I understand that the work done is negative because gravity is doing the work if you...
  32. Athenian

    Finding the Monopole and Multipole Moments of the Electric Potential

    My first attempt revolved mostly around the solution method shown in this "site" or PowerPoint: http://physics.gmu.edu/~joe/PHYS685/Topic4.pdf . However, after studying the content and writing down my answer for the monopole moment as equal to ##\sqrt{\frac{1}{4 \pi}} \rho##, I found out the...
  33. R

    Electromotive Force, Batteries, Resistors, and Potential Differences

    I have attached a small excerpt from my digital book where they start talking about emf. I am very confused. Let me explain what is confusing to me so that you can clear up what's bothering me. They start of by saying that an emf device pumps charges by maintaining a potential difference...
  34. hilbert2

    A Softened potential well / potential step

    Do any of you know of an article or book chapter that discusses the difference between a discontinuous potential well of length ##2L## ##V(x)=\left\{\begin{array}{cc}0, & |x-x_0 |<L\\V_0 & |x-x_0 |\geq L\end{array}\right.## and a differentiable one ##\displaystyle V(x) = V_0...
  35. dRic2

    I Minimize grand potential functional for density matrix

    I'd like to show that, by minimizing this functional $$\Omega[\hat \rho] = \text{Tr} \hat \rho \left[ \hat H - \mu \hat N + \frac 1 {\beta} \log \hat \rho \right]$$ I get the well known expression $$\Omega[\hat \rho_0] = - \frac 1 {\beta} \log \text{Tr} e^{-\beta (\hat H - \mu \hat N )}$$ I'm...
  36. M

    Soliton model of the action potential

    Has anyone else come across the soliton model of the action potential? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soliton_model_in_neuroscience It seems extremely non-mainstream, especially given that it presented as an alternative to the Hodgkin-Huxley model, which is undoubtedly the most successful...
  37. M

    Potential Flow Theory: Circulation and the Kutta-Jukowski Theorem

    Hi, I just had a quick question about conventions in potential flow theory: Question: What is the convention for ## \Gamma ## for the streamline ## \Psi = \frac{\Gamma}{2\pi} ln(\frac{r}{a} ) ## and how can we interpret the Kutta-Jukowski Theorem ## Lift = - \rho U \Gamma ##? Approach: For the...
  38. M

    Potential Flow Theory: Circulation and the Kutta-Jukowski Theorem

    Homework Statement:: What is the convention for ## \Gamma ## for the streamline ## \Psi = \frac{\Gamma}{2\pi} ln(\frac{r}{a} ) ## and how can we interpret the Kutta-Jukowski Theorem? Relevant Equations:: ## v_{\theta} = - \frac{\partial \Psi}{\partial \theta} ## [Mentor Note -- moved from the...
  39. Sj4600

    How Do Electron and Proton Accelerations Compare Between Charged Plates?

    Ve=0m/s Vp= 0m/s Qe/Qp= 1.60E-19 Me=9.11E-31 Mp-1.67E-27 Ive pretty much gathered all of the equations I think I need to solve the problem. I just am stuck. The last step I realize that the forces would be equal to each other so I have mp x ap = me x ae but then when I try to solve for the...
  40. A

    Exponential Wavefunction for Infinite Potential Well Problem

    Using the boundary conditions where psi is 0, I found that k = n*pi/a, since sin(x) is zero when k*a = 0. I set up my normalization integral as follows: A^2 * integral from 0 to a of (((exp(ikx) - exp(-ikx))*(exp(-ikx) - exp(ikx)) dx) = 1 After simplifying, and accounting for the fact that...
  41. AN630078

    Biology Water Potential and Osmosis Potatoes Investigation

    a) Evaporation will remove water from the test tubes as it turns into water vapour, meaning that the solution will have a greater solute concentration and thus an increased osmotic potential which results in a more negative osmotic potential. Consequently this lowers the solution's water...
  42. agnimusayoti

    Potential inside a uniformly charged solid sphere

    Well, in this problem, I try to use $$d \tau '= \mu ^2 \sin {\theta} {d\mu} {d\theta} {d\phi}$$ With these domain integration: $$0<\mu<r$$ $$0<\theta<\pi$$ $$0<\phi<2\pi$$ , I get $$V=\frac{1}{4\pi \epsilon_0} \frac{3Qr^2}{2R^3}$$ This result is wrong because doesn't match with Prob 2.21, which...
  43. B

    Electric Potential inside an insulating sphere

    I used the potential at the surface of the sphere for my reference point for computing the potential at a point r < R in the sphere. The potential at the surface of the sphere is ## V(R) = k \frac {Q} {R} ##. To find the potential inside the sphere, I used the Electric field inside of an...
  44. E

    Meaning of small triangle in chemical potential

    It is given that the solution is ideal, i.e. that we can take ##\gamma_A = 1##. I wondered what that small triangle signifies in the second definition? Thanks!
  45. archaic

    Potential due to a rod with a nonuniform charge density

    I'm not sure I understand why I need to use ##d##.. Maybe they want me to have the potential be zero at ##A##? In any case, I have found$$V(B)=\alpha k\int_0^L\frac{x}{\sqrt{b^2+\left(x-\frac{L}{2}\right)^2}}dx+C=\frac{\alpha...
  46. AN630078

    Potential Energy and raising a satellite from Earth into a Circular Orbit

    a. V=-GM/r V=-6.67*10^-11*6.0 x 10^24/6.4 x 10^6 V grav = -62531250 ~ -62.5M Jkg^-1 b. To find the gravitational potential 200 km above the surface of the Earth; r=6.4 x 10^6 +2*10^5 m=6.6*10^6 V grav=-6.67*10^-11*6.0 x 10^24/6.6*10^6 V grav= -60636363 ~ -60.6 M Jkg^-1 Can I check that it is...
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