A force is conservative if work done by or against it depends only on initial and final positions

the verdict

SUPPORTED

the evidence backs this

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4 sources for · 0 against

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AS REPORTEDno primary record reached; this is what the reporting says

Is it true that a force is conservative if work done by or against it depends only on initial and final positions?

Yes. A force is classified as conservative if the work it does on an object depends solely on the initial and final positions, regardless of the path taken.

Verdict: SUPPORTED · 4 sources for, 0 against · Last checked 4 Aug 2026

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Judged against reference works: claims of this kind are settled by reference works, not journal abstracts.

Evidence for · 4

Wikipedia: Conservative force

Reference article covering this claim directly

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Wikipedia: Conservative force. (n.d.). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_force

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More for · 3

Wikipedia: Potential energy

Reference article covering this claim directly

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Wikipedia: Potential energy. (n.d.). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potential_energy

Book: Physics, Study Guide

1992

Notes that the work done by a conservative force depends only on initial and final positions.

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Cutnell, J. D. & Johnson, K. W. (1992). Book: Physics, Study Guide. Wiley. http://books.google.com/books?id=bu_5V3b50TIC&dq=A+force+is+conservative+if+work+done+by+or+against+it+depends+only+on+initial+and+final+positions&hl=&as_pt=BOOKS&source=gbs_api

Book: Physics, Student Study Guide

2001

Affirms that work done by a conservative force depends only on initial and final positions.

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Cutnell, J. D. & Johnson, K. W. (2001). Book: Physics, Student Study Guide. Wiley. http://books.google.com/books?id=MTLAw2ahfXkC&dq=A+force+is+conservative+if+work+done+by+or+against+it+depends+only+on+initial+and+final+positions&hl=&as_pt=BOOKS&source=gbs_api

Related receipts

Is it true that non-conservative force fields perform net work that depends on the path taken between two points? SUPPORTED related question, same topic
Is it true that a force is conservative if the work done by it along a closed path is zero? SUPPORTED related question, same topic

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first checked04 Aug 2026

judged → SUPPORTED · 7504 Aug 2026

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