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Is magnetic field conservative or non- conservative field? I think that it should be conservative but not sure.
Yes I did mean energy!Doug Huffman said:I believe that a practical definition of conservative field asks conservative of what? A conservative field conserves energy.
Conservative and non conservative fields are concepts in physics that refer to the type of force or potential energy present in a system. Conservative fields are those in which the work done by a force is independent of the path taken, while non conservative fields are those in which the work done is dependent on the path.
An example of a conservative field is gravity. The potential energy associated with an object near the Earth's surface is only dependent on the object's position, not the path it takes to get there. This means that the work done by gravity is the same whether the object falls straight down or takes a curved path.
An example of a non conservative field is friction. The work done by friction is dependent on the path an object takes. For example, if a box is pushed along a flat surface, the work done by friction will be greater if the box is pushed in a zigzag pattern rather than in a straight line.
The concept of conservative and non conservative fields is important in physics because it helps us understand how energy is conserved in a system. In conservative fields, the total energy of the system remains constant, while in non conservative fields, energy can be lost or gained due to external factors like friction or air resistance.
To determine if a field is conservative or non conservative, you can use a mathematical tool called a potential function. If a potential function exists, then the field is conservative. If a potential function cannot be found, then the field is non conservative. Alternatively, you can also determine if a field is conservative by calculating the work done by the force along two different paths and comparing the results. If the work done is the same, then the field is conservative.