potential energy: Quick Facts

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Facts

Also Known As	stored energy

Photos and Videos

Illustration showing examples of energy types: a raised hammer and a drawn bow represent potential energy, the swinging hammer and released arrow illustrate kinetic energy, and the hammer striking a nail demonstrates mechanical energy.

A 3D plot shows two potential energy surfaces: section A, shaded red, rises sharply to illustrate the repulsive potential between two positive charges; section B, shaded blue, dips downward to show the attractive potential between a negative and a positive charge.

A three-dimensional wireframe graph with a steep red plateau and a deep blue well, illustrating the potential energy landscape experienced by a positive charge.

potential energy as a function of elongation of a fissioning nucleus

A graph showing a potential energy curve for a chemical reaction, with the y-axis labeled potential energy and the x-axis labeled progress of reaction. The curve rises from the initial state (reactants) to a peak labeled transition state (activated complex), indicating activation energy, then drops to the final state (products).

Understanding potential and kinetic energy in action

How does a simple pendulum work?

The law of conservation of energy explained

Hear about the proof suggesting an absence of absolute time implies the law of conservation of energy and that force conserves energy

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Topics

interchange energy gravitational potential energy strain energy potential energy curve energy free energy kinetic energy mechanical energy binding energy internal energy zero-point energy radiant energy radiation combustion geothermal energy

Electric power lines against sunset (grid, power, wires, electrical, electricity)

Energy & Fossil Fuels

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