conservative quantity
noun phraseUK /kənˈsɜːvətɪv ˈkwɒntəti/
US /kənˈsɜːrvətɪv ˈkwɑːntəti/
A conservative quantity is an amount that stays the same even when things around it change.
In physics, energy is a conservative quantity because it is never lost, only changed into another form.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A quantity that does not change during a process or reaction.
The total charge in the closed circuit is a conservative quantity.
3. An amount that is kept the same by a rule or law of nature.
Momentum is a conservative quantity when no outside forces act on the system.
4. A value that remains fixed no matter how the system changes.
The number of particles in the box is a conservative quantity.