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The simplest definition for a potential gradient F in one dimension is the following: [1] = = where ϕ(x) is some type of scalar potential and x is displacement (not distance) in the x direction, the subscripts label two different positions x 1, x 2, and potentials at those points, ϕ 1 = ϕ(x 1), ϕ 2 = ϕ(x 2).
The same approach implies that the negative of the Laplacian of the gravitational potential is the mass distribution. Often the charge (or mass) distribution are given, and the associated potential is unknown. Finding the potential function subject to suitable boundary conditions is equivalent to solving Poisson's equation.
This function represents half of the rate of energy dissipation of the system through friction. The force of friction is negative the velocity gradient of the dissipation function, F → f = − ∇ v R ( v ) {\displaystyle {\vec {F}}_{f}=-\nabla _{v}R(v)} , analogous to a force being equal to the negative position gradient of a potential.
These equations model the internucleon potential energies, or potentials. (Generally, forces within a system of particles can be more simply modelled by describing the system's potential energy; the negative gradient of a potential is equal to the vector force.) The constants for the equations are phenomenological, that is, determined by ...
If the force is not conservative, then defining a scalar potential is not possible, because taking different paths would lead to conflicting potential differences between the start and end points. Gravitational force is an example of a conservative force, while frictional force is an example of a non-conservative force.
The gradient of a function is called a gradient field. A (continuous) gradient field is always a conservative vector field: its line integral along any path depends only on the endpoints of the path, and can be evaluated by the gradient theorem (the fundamental theorem of calculus for line integrals). Conversely, a (continuous) conservative ...
If ϕ is a velocity potential, then ϕ + f(t) is also a velocity potential for u, where f(t) is a scalar function of time and can be constant. Velocity potentials are unique up to a constant, or a function solely of the temporal variable. The Laplacian of a velocity potential is equal to the divergence of the corresponding flow.
In problems involving conductors set at known potentials, the potential away from them is obtained by solving Laplace's equation, either analytically or numerically. The electric field is then calculated as the potential's negative gradient.