Potential Energy & Equilibrium: Practice Problem & Solution

Short Solution (Best for NEET):

To solve this problem, we apply the core principles of Potential Energy & Equilibrium. Understanding the underlying formula is key to arriving at the correct answer below:

A conservative force is defined by two equivalent properties: work done in a closed loop is \(0\) and work done is path-independent. If \(W_{\text{round_trip}} = 0\), the force is conservative. \(W_{\text{conservative}} = 0\) for a round trip because it is path-independent, meaning \(W_{A to B} = -W_{B to A}\). Thus, Reason (R) correctly explains Assertion (A).