In dynamics, the position dependent forces are conservative where as the velocity and time dependent forces are non-conservative. Is there any other criteria to describe the non-conservative forces?
A conservative force verifies the principle of mechanical energy conservation: Kinetic energy + Potential energy = constant. As a consequence of this definition, the total work performed by a conservative force on a closed trajectory is null (examples of conservative forces: weight, restoring force of a spring). A non conservative force (e.g. friction force) does not verify this principle because its work is always negative and leads to a loss of mechanical energy.
In addition to the answers given,
you can also use the the following formula to identify whether a force is conservative or not.
If he following equality does not hold the force is non-conservative.
curl (F) = 0
or
∇XF=0
Here,
F is the force, defined in vectorial form.
X is the cross product.
∇= ∂/∂x i+ ∂/∂y j+∂/∂z k is the Del or Nabla operator.
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