Given a potential energy function U(x), the corresponding force is in the positive x direction if:

Question

Given a potential energy function U(x), the corresponding force  is in the positive x direction if:

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The relationship between potential energy and force is given by the equation F=-dU/dx, where F is the force and U is the potential energy function. Taking the derivative of U with respect to x results in dU/dx. If this derivative is negative, which is the case for a decreasing function, then the force will be positive in the x direction. Therefore, the correct answer is D.

Given a Potential Energy Function U(x), the Corresponding Force