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Mechanical energy information


An example of a mechanical system: A satellite is orbiting the Earth influenced only by the conservative gravitational force; its mechanical energy is therefore conserved. The satellite's acceleration is represented by the green vector and its velocity is represented by the red vector. If the satellite's orbit is an ellipse the potential energy of the satellite, and its kinetic energy, both vary with time but their sum remains constant.

In physical sciences, mechanical energy is the sum of potential energy and kinetic energy. The principle of conservation of mechanical energy states that if an isolated system is subject only to conservative forces, then the mechanical energy is constant. If an object moves in the opposite direction of a conservative net force, the potential energy will increase; and if the speed (not the velocity) of the object changes, the kinetic energy of the object also changes. In all real systems, however, nonconservative forces, such as frictional forces, will be present, but if they are of negligible magnitude, the mechanical energy changes little and its conservation is a useful approximation. In elastic collisions, the kinetic energy is conserved, but in inelastic collisions some mechanical energy may be converted into thermal energy. The equivalence between lost mechanical energy and an increase in temperature was discovered by James Prescott Joule.

Many devices are used to convert mechanical energy to or from other forms of energy, e.g. an electric motor converts electrical energy to mechanical energy, an electric generator converts mechanical energy into electrical energy and a heat engine converts heat to mechanical energy.

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Mechanical energy

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physical sciences, mechanical energy is the sum of potential energy and kinetic energy. The principle of conservation of mechanical energy states that if...

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Mechanical

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Mechanical calculator, a device used to perform the basic operations of arithmetic Mechanical energy, the sum of potential energy and kinetic energy Mechanical...

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Energy

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rotational kinetic and potential energy within a system is referred to as mechanical energy, whereas nuclear energy refers to the combined potentials...

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Energy transformation

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or performing mechanical work to operate machines. For example, to heat a home, the furnace burns fuel, whose chemical potential energy is converted into...

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Flywheel energy storage

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reduce friction and energy loss. First-generation flywheel energy-storage systems use a large steel flywheel rotating on mechanical bearings. Newer systems...

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Electric generator

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and kinetic energy) or fuel-based power (chemical energy) into electric power for use in an external circuit. Sources of mechanical energy include steam...

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Energy storage

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less fuel was burned. Hydropower, a mechanical energy storage method, is the most widely adopted mechanical energy storage, and has been in use for centuries...

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Food energy

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respiration of food, losses in converting energy from ATP into mechanical work inside the muscle, and mechanical losses inside the body. The latter two losses...

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Specific mechanical energy

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Specific mechanical energy is the mechanical energy of an object per unit of mass. Similar to mechanical energy, the specific mechanical energy of an object...

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Engine

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convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy. Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational...

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Primary energy

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enable the production of energy carriers. Conversion efficiency varies. For thermal energy, electricity and mechanical energy production is limited by...

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Mechanical advantage

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The motion of the lever's end-point describes a fixed orbit, where mechanical energy can be exchanged. (see a hand-crank as an example.) In modern times...

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Mechanical wave

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In physics, a mechanical wave is a wave that is an oscillation of matter, and therefore transfers energy through a material medium. (Vacuum is, from classical...

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Mechanical engineering

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Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics...

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Outline of energy

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Magnetic energyenergy from magnetic fields Mechanical energy – The sum of (usually macroscopic) kinetic and potential energies Mechanical wave – (≥0)...

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Glossary of mechanical engineering

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measurement of the input and output forces. Actual mechanical advantage takes into account energy loss due to deflection, friction, and wear. Adjoint...

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Dissipation

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isolated system. In mechanical engineering, dissipation is the irreversible conversion of mechanical energy into thermal energy with an associated increase...

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Mechanical resonance

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and Angers Bridge). Mechanical systems store potential energy in different forms. For example, a spring/mass system stores energy as tension in the spring...

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Heat death of the universe

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ideas of Lord Kelvin who, in the 1850s, took the theory of heat as mechanical energy loss in nature (as embodied in the first two laws of thermodynamics)...

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Heat engine

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energy, particularly mechanical energy, which can then be used to do mechanical work. While originally conceived in the context of mechanical energy,...

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Sources of electrical energy

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materials are used in power actuators, converting electrical energy into mechanical energy, and in acoustic transducers, converting electric fields into...

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First law of thermodynamics

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system we let ΔE kin = large-scale mechanical energy, ΔE pot = large-scale potential energy, and ΔE tot = total energy. The first two quantities are specifiable...

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Electric motor

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electric motor is an electrical machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Most electric motors operate through the interaction between...

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Mechanical efficiency

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In mechanical engineering, mechanical efficiency is a dimensionless ratio that measures the efficiency of a mechanism or machine in transforming the power...

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Flywheel

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A flywheel is a mechanical device that uses the conservation of angular momentum to store rotational energy; a form of kinetic energy proportional to...

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Mechanical toy

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Mechanical toys are toys powered by mechanical energy. Depending on the mechanism used they can perform a range of motions, from simple to very complex...

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Fuel

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storing potential energy, such as those that directly release electrical energy (such as batteries and capacitors) or mechanical energy (such as flywheels...

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Energy harvesting

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mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy. Electrostatic energy harvesters need a polarization source to work and to convert mechanical energy...

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