Potential to do Work by a Displaced Object

I was asked and it is clearly WAY over my head. So here it is. If a neutral point is made to change its position can that be used as a way to gather potential for work. It has been put to me that by puting the Neutral point in motion the potential for actual work is greatly increased. My reply(im Guessing here) was that the act of puting the Neutral point in motion will increase the potential for work based on the Energy used to force the neutral point to shift. I am very uncertain and quite Honestly confused by the idea. It was my understanding a magnetic field does no work. After reading for three days i came across this site and figured what the heck. Again, i am just a dad trying to answer his son. Way over my head. Thank you.
- Jeremy (age 45)
ks herrington US

Hello Jeremy,

You have to do work to get an object moving.  It then has some kinetic energy, 1/2 mv².  If you stop the the object it will do work on you and give the energy back.   So, no net gain or loss.   Before you stop the object it has the potential to work on another object.

LeeH

(published on 02/05/2016)