Potential Energy to Force

Potential Energy to Force#

Part 1#

The potential energy of a particle in a conservative one-dimensional potential as a function of position, \(x\), is shown. Which figure represents the force as a function of position \(x\) that acts on the particle?

Image of six graphs. One graph of potential as a function of position, which is a polynomial with two positive peaks, the first higher than the next. Option A is a graph of force vs position with the shape of the potential graph reflected on the x axis. Option B is a polynomial with two negative peaks below zero. Option C is identical to the potential graph. Option D is the same as optioin B but reflected over the x-axis. Option E is a piecewise function with a positive linear segment, negative linear segment, followed by another, less positive linear segment.

Answer Section#

  • Figure A

  • Figure B

  • Figure C

  • Figure D

  • Figure E

Attribution#

Problem is licensed under the CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.
The Creative Commons 4.0 license requiring attribution-BY, non-commercial-NC, and share-alike-SA license.