JEE Main 2025 Apr 7 Shift 2, Physics Q16: Work Energy Theorem And Its Applications

A potential energy function can be associated only with conservative forces, whose work depends solely on the initial and final positions and vanishes over any closed path.

Coulomb's, gravitational, and restoring (spring) forces are all conservative, so each has a corresponding potential energy (electrostatic, gravitational, and elastic potential energy, respectively).

Kinetic friction is a dissipative, non-conservative force; the work done by friction depends on the path taken, and no scalar function $U(\vec{r})$ satisfies $\vec{F}=-\nabla U$ for it. Hence no potential energy can be associated with frictional force.