Physics A-Level
Parabolic energy curves
What Parabolic energy curves means in Physics A-Level, as defined for OCR.
Definition of Parabolic energy curves
Check what you remember
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Reference: OCR
The potential energy curve is a parabola, Ep = ½mω²x², and the kinetic energy curve is an inverted parabola, Ek = ½mω²(A² − x²).
Topics that use Parabolic energy curves
- Energy of a simple harmonic oscillator (OCR A-Level)
Related terms
- Conservation of energy in simple harmonic motion
- Energy–displacement relationships
- Amplitude and total energy
- Amplitude dependence of energy
- Conservation of total energy
- Kinetic and potential energy interchange
Using Parabolic energy curves in the exam
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