A conservative force is one which the work done on a particle moving between two points is independent of the path taken, and a particle which moves in a closed loop will have no net work done on it. As such, there is a scalar potential energy field associated with the force vector field (or the force is the gradient of a scalar function).

Examples

Conservative forces

• Gravity
• Electric force

Non-conservative forces

• Friction
• Magnetic force

See also

• Conservative vector field on Math Wiki

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