Physics › Section E · Work, energy, and power › Topic E.4
Conservative and nonconservative forces
Some forces store the energy they take and give it all back, while others turn it into heat that cannot easily be recovered. Sorting forces into these two kinds tells you when mechanical energy is conserved and how to account for it when it is not.
In this topic
- Two kinds of force
- Conservative forces
- Potential energy of a spring
- Conservation of mechanical energy
- Worked example: a spring launcher
- Nonconservative forces
- The work-energy theorem with both kinds
- Worked example: a skier on a rough slope
- Positive nonconservative work
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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