AQA GCSE Elastic Potential energy

AQA GCSE Elastic Potential energy

Elastic potential energy is the energy stored in an object when it is stretched or squashed. 

Depends on:

Spring constant (N/m)

Extension

The spring constant is a measure of the amount of force needed to change the length of the object.

Extension is the change in length. 

If a spring is 0.1m under normal conditions and when stretched it is 0.4m, then the extension is 0.4m-0.1m = 0.3m.

chemical energy being converted into elastic energy being transferred mechanically

The woman on the left is  doing work (transferring energy mechanically) from chemical energy store in her muscles to the elastic energy store of the resistance band.

This means that if 100J of work is done, the elastic energy store increases by 100J

Energy transfer diagram showing chemical potential energy being converted mechanically into elastic energy store
Equation for elastic potential energy
Equations for elastic potential energy

Practice questions

1.Describe the relationship between the spring constant and the elastic potential energy.

2.  A steel spring has a spring constant of  15N/m and when compressed its length decreases by 0.4m Calculate the elastic potential energy stored in the spring when it is compressed.

3. A resistance band has a spring constant of 30N/m. During an exercise its length is increased from 0.7m to 1.1m. Calculate the elastic potential energy stored in the resistance band.

4. A catapult has 100kJ of elastic potential energy stored and its spring constant is 4000N/m. Calculate the extension that the catapult is experiencing. 

Need more questions, see our worksheets.

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