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Gravitation — Physics STD 11 Science — Question

Maharashtra BoardEnglish MediumSTD 11 SciencePhysicsGravitation4 Marks
Question
Explain with examples the universal law which states that “Every system always configures itself in order to have minimum potential energy or every system tries to minimize its potential energy”.
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Answer

Example 1:
  1. A spring in its natural state, possesses minimum potential energy. Whenever we stretch it or compress it, we perform work against the conservative force.
  2. Due to this work, the relative distances between the particles of the system change i.e., configuration changes and potential energy of the spring increases.
  3. The spring finally regains its original configuration of minimum potential energy on removal of the applied force.
    This explains that the spring always try to rearrange itself in order to attain minimum potential energy.

Example 2:
  1. When an object is lying on the surface of the Earth, the system of that object and the Earth has minimum potential energy.
  2. This is the gravitational potential energy of the system as these two are bound by the gravitational force. While lifting the object to some height, we do work against the conservative gravitational force.
  3. In its new position, the object is at rest due to balanced forces. However, now, the object has a capacity to acquire kinetic energy, when allowed to fall.
  4. This increase in the capacity is the potential energy gained by the system. The object falls on the Earth to achieve the configuration of minimum potential energy on dropping it from the new position.

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