The energy required to start something is more than the energy needed to maintain it?

submitted by TheBlackSun from self.AskSaidIt

True or False?

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[–]IMissPorn 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

True. As applied to kinetic energy, that's inertia.

[–]ID10T 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

True in physics as well as life. e.g. it's a lot harder to start an exercise practice than it is to get to the gym or go for a hike every day once you've been doing it regularly.

[–]GuyWhite 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

True.

An exothermic reaction may need a heat of initiation. The reaction then requires no energy for it to continue.

Example, a spark is needed to initiate combustion in an engine. After combustion begins, no further energy input is need to sustain the combustion.

[–]TheBlackSun[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Thanks for the reply

[–]twolanterns 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

the 'ballast' on the old fluorescent lights - an inducteor that pushes a huge charge to ionize a path through the gas in the tube

[–]NastyWetSmear 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

People are talking a lot about physical stuff, but it's also true of social stuff and mental stuff. Starting a club is harder then joining a club that exists and has members. Getting a job is harder than going to your job you've already done for 2 years. Starting a conversation with someone you don't know is harder than continuing a conversation with a friend. It's pretty universal.

[–]topiary2 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Yes. Takes more energy to develop the momentum to persist, and it takes less energy to keep the momentum going.

Activation energy and all that.

[–]mulligan 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

The electric companies charge industries based on peak demand, that peak is when large electric motors are initially energized, etc. Electric companies are crooks.

[–]yellowsnow2 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

This gets many electronic hobbiests. Electric motors require around 3 times the power to start from a stop.