How does motion affect the potential energy of a spring?

In summary, objects are affected by motion and their energy increases as they are accelerated. This applies to both physical objects and pure energy, such as electromagnetic radiation. When accelerating a setup with potential energy, the energy stored in the spring will also change. This is due to the increase in energy associated with the electromagnetic field, which is studied in special relativity. While the velocity of light remains constant, its frequency and energy content will differ for observers with different relative motion. This is because time and space are perceived differently by these observers, resulting in a longer wavelength and lower frequency for one observer compared to the other.
  • #1
ravisastry
52
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we know that physical objects are affected by motion, their energy increases as they are accelerated. what about pure energy ? say i have a box with some potential energy stored in it (like a coiled spring or a battery etc). when i accelerate this setup, there will be change in the mass of the materials, but will the potential energy stored in the spring also change ?
 
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  • #2
Yes, it will. One way to see this is to study the energy associated with the electromagnetic field and see how it varies as the velocity changes. This energy will increase by the same factor gamma = 1/sqrt(1-v^2/c^2) that mechanical mass increases. In fact, it was by studying the behavior of electromagnetism that Einstein and others derived special relativity.
 
  • #3
oh i was on the impression that motion won't have any effect on light or EMR. consider this setup where we have any apparatus where pulses of light are produced. when we move the apparatus close to speed of light, the velocity of the light emitted from aparatus, will still remain the same. also, i believe there won't be any change in its frequency or amplitude, which means the motion has no effect on its energy content. pls correct me if I am wrong here...
actually i was thinking about time and I am a firm believer that time is a man made concept. In reality time doesn't exist. any physical entity can be detected or measured ? what about time ? (clocks don't measure time)
my explanation for non variance of speed of light is that, motion has no effect of EMR and hence time doesn't apply to EMR. time applies only to physical objects (rather, we humans can apply time only to matter)
 
  • #4
If two observers with different relative motion view light (electromagnetic radiation), it's true they will both see the light moving at the same speed. But the frequency and hence the energy content of the radiation will be different as viewed by the two observers. Because the two observers view time and space differently, one will see the light to have a longer wavelength (lambda) and lower frequency(nu) than the other, while the product (lambda*nu = c) will be the same.
 
  • #5
thanks for the clarification !
 

FAQ: How does motion affect the potential energy of a spring?

What is the relationship between motion and energy?

The relationship between motion and energy is that motion can either increase or decrease the amount of energy in a system. Moving objects possess kinetic energy, which is the energy of motion. The faster an object moves, the more kinetic energy it has. On the other hand, motion can also cause objects to lose energy through friction or resistance.

How does motion affect the potential energy of an object?

Motion can change the potential energy of an object by either increasing or decreasing it. For example, when a ball is thrown into the air, it gains potential energy as it moves against the force of gravity. As the ball falls back to the ground, the potential energy is converted back into kinetic energy. On the other hand, if an object is in motion and encounters friction or resistance, its potential energy may decrease.

Can motion generate energy?

Yes, motion can generate energy through the process of kinetic energy conversion. For example, when a wind turbine rotates due to the motion of wind, it generates electricity. Similarly, when a car is in motion, the energy from the fuel is converted into kinetic energy to move the car forward.

What is the law of conservation of energy and how does it relate to motion?

The law of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be transferred or transformed from one form to another. This means that the total amount of energy in a closed system remains constant. In terms of motion, this law implies that the total amount of energy in a system before and after motion remains the same, even if the energy is transformed from one type to another (e.g. from potential energy to kinetic energy).

How does motion affect the temperature of an object?

Motion can affect the temperature of an object in several ways. When an object is in motion, its molecules are also in motion, which causes them to collide with each other and increase their kinetic energy. This increase in kinetic energy results in an increase in temperature. On the other hand, motion can also cause an object to lose heat energy through friction or resistance, which can lead to a decrease in temperature.

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