Full text search :

conservative field

A vector field whose curl is zero everywhere. This has three important consequences: the line integral of the field from one point to another is independent of the route chosen; the line integral of the field around a closed loop is zero; and, most importantly, there exists a scalar potential (2) function whose gradient at any point is the value of the field at that point. An electric field is conservative in the absence of changing magnetic fields (the third of Maxwell\'s equations). A gravitational field is also conservative.

Bookmark this page:

<< former term		next term >>
conservation of momentum, law of		consolute temperature