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Potential vs Virtual - What's the difference?

potential | virtual |

Virtual is a antonym of potential.



In physics terms the difference between potential and virtual

is that potential is a potential flow is an irrotational flow while virtual is pertaining to particles in temporary existence due to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.

As nouns the difference between potential and virtual

is that potential is currently unrealized ability (with the most common adposition being to while virtual is in C++, a virtual member function of a class.

As adjectives the difference between potential and virtual

is that potential is existing in possibility, not in actuality while virtual is in effect or essence, if not in fact or reality; imitated, simulated.

potential

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Currently unrealized ability (with the most common adposition being to )
  • Even from a young age it was clear that she had the potential to become a great musician.
  • (physics) The or the gravitoelectric field.Novello, M. ? VII Brazilian School of Cosmology and Gravitation, Rio de Janeiro, August 1993] Atlantica Séguier Frontières, 1994, p. 257 ? "In general, a system can have both translational and rotational accelerations, however. It follows from Einstein's principle of equivalence that locally—i.e., to the extent that spacetime curvature can be neglected—gravitational effects are the same as inertial effects; therefore, gravitation can be approximately described in terms of gravitoelectric and gravitomagnetic fields corresponding to translational and rotational inertia, respectively. This is the gravitational Larmor theorem, which is very useful in the post-Newtonian approximation to general relativity. The gravitomagnetic field of a massive rotating body is a measure of its absolute rotation."''Thorne, Kip S. ? [http://einstein.stanford.edu/content/sci_papers/papers/nz-Thorne_101.pdf#page=3&view=FitV Gravitomagnetism, Jets in Quasars, and the Stanford Gyroscope Experiment] From the book "Near Zero: New Frontiers of Physics" (eds. J. D. Fairbank, B. S. Deaver, Jr., C. W. F. Everitt, P. F. Michelson), W. H. Freeman and Company, New York, 1988, pp. 3, 4 (575, 576) ? ''"From our electrodynamical experience we can infer immediately that any rotating spherical body (e.g., the sun or the earth) will be surrounded by a radial gravitoelectric (Newtonian) field ''g''''' and a dipolar gravitomagnetic field '''''H'' . The gravitoelectric monopole moment is the body's mass M; the gravitomagnetic dipole moment is its spin angular momentum S."''Grøn, Øyvind; Hervik, Sigbjørn ? [http://books.google.com/books?id=IyJhCHAryuUC&pg=PA203&lpg=PA203&dq=%22The+gravitoelectric+field+is+the+Newtonian+part+of+the+gravitational+field,+while+the+gravitomagnetic+field+is+the+non-Newtonian+part.%22&source=bl&ots=vF8KM_toq1&sig=5rqHuClm2mU_RdeMVPP0xPth7bA&hl=en&ei=Pd8DTd-kLMLrOdKx0LsB&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1 Einstein's General Theory of Relativity with Modern Applications in Cosmology Springer, 2007, p. 203 ? ''"In the Newtonian theory there will not be any gravitomagnetic effects; the Newtonian potential is the same irrespective of whether or not the body is rotating. Hence the gravitomagnetic field is a purely relativistic effect. The gravitoelectric field is the Newtonian part of the gravitational field, while the gravitomagnetic field is the non-Newtonian part."
  • (physics) The work (energy) required to move a reference particle from a reference location to a specified location in the presence of a force field, for example to bring a unit positive electric charge from an infinite distance to a specified point against an electric field.
  • (grammar) A verbal construction or form stating something is possible or probable.
  • Adjective

    (-)
  • Existing in possibility, not in actuality.
  • The heroic man,—and is not every man, God be thanked, a potential hero?—has to do so, in all times and circumstances. Carlyle, Thomas ? Chartism ? Chapman & Hall, 1858, p. 229
  • (archaic) Being potent; endowed with energy adequate to a result; efficacious; influential.
  • And hath, in his effect, a voice potential Shakespeare, William ? Othello ? 1603
  • (physics) A potential field is an irrotational (static) field.
  • From Maxwell equations (6.20) it follows that the electric field is potential: E(r) = ?''grad''?(r).'' ''Soviet Physics, Uspekhi v. 40, issues 1–6, American Institute of Physics, 1997, p. 39
  • (physics) A is an irrotational flow.
  • The non-viscous flow of the vacuum should be potential (irrotational). Volovik, Grigory E. ? The Universe in a Helium Droplet Oxford University Press, 2009, p. 60
  • (grammar) Referring to a verbal construction of form stating something is possible or probable.
  • References

    virtual

    Alternative forms

    * vertual (obsolete) * vertuall (qualifier) * virtuall (obsolete)

    Adjective

    (-)
  • In effect or essence, if not in fact or reality; imitated, simulated.
  • In fact a defeat on the battlefield, Tet was a virtual victory for the North, owing to its effect on public opinion.
    Virtual addressing allows applications to believe that there is much more physical memory than actually exists.
  • * Fleming
  • A thing has a virtual existence when it has all the conditions necessary to its actual existence.
  • * De Quincey
  • to mask by slight differences in the manners a virtual identity in the substance
  • Having the power of acting or of invisible efficacy without the agency of the material or measurable part; potential.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • Heat and cold have a virtual transition, without communication of substance.
  • * Milton
  • Every kind that lives, / Fomented by his virtual power, and warmed.
  • Nearly, almost. (A relatively recent corruption of meaning, attributed to misuse in advertising and media. )
  • The angry peasants were a virtual army as they attacked the castle.
  • * 2012 , Chelsea 6-0 Wolves [http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19632463]
  • The Chelsea captain was a virtual spectator as he was treated to his side's biggest win for almost two years as Stamford Bridge serenaded him with chants of "there's only one England captain," some 48 hours after he announced his retirement from international football.
  • Simulated in a computer or online.
  • The virtual world of his computer game allowed character interaction.
  • Operating by computer or in cyberspace; not physically present.
  • a virtual''' assistant; a '''virtual personal trainer
  • (computing, object-oriented programming, of a class member) Capable of being overridden with a different implementation in a subclass.
  • (physics) Pertaining to particles in temporary existence due to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.
  • Synonyms

    * de facto

    Antonyms

    * de jure * legal * real

    Derived terms

    * virtual reality * virtually

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (computing) In C++, a virtual member function of a class.
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