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AP Physics C: Mechanics
3.3 Potential Energy
BeginnerMCQConceptual17.7k
A Cartesian coordinate graph with a horizontal axis labeled x and a vertical axis labeled F_x. A horizontal dashed axis line represents F_x = 0. A smooth continuous solid curve begins in the negative F_x region to the left, rises upward to cross the horizontal axis at a point marked x_1 with a positive slope, reaches a peak in the positive F_x region marked x_2, and then slopes downward to cross the horizontal axis at a point marked x_3 with a negative slope before continuing downward into the negative F_x region. Vertical tick marks labeled x_1, x_2, and x_3 sit along the horizontal axis. No other labels, lines, text, or axes appear.
Graph of force \(F_x\) versus position \(x\).
A single conservative force \(F_x\) acts on a particle constrained to move along the \(x\)-axis. The graph of \(F_x\) as a function of position \(x\) is shown, where the curve crosses the horizontal axis at \(x = x_1\) and \(x = x_3\), and reaches a local maximum at \(x = x_2\).

Which of the following statements correctly identifies the location of a local minimum in the particle's potential energy \(U(x)\) and provides a valid justification?

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