Elastic

potential
energy

1. What happens to the toy?

2. What kind of energy is

stored in the rubber band?

3. What kind of energy does a

rolling toy have?

4. What transformation of
energy happens in a rolling
toy?

Springs and rubber bands

are called elastics

When elastics are stretched and then

let go, they will return to their original
form if they were not stretched
beyond their elastic limit.

Springs

free length

Force and deformation

x
When you apply a force to a spring, it deforms.

Work

x
The applied force does work on the spring.
The change in the springs length is called the deformation, x.

Elastic potential energy

x
The work done to stretch or compress the spring
is stored in the spring as elastic potential energy.

Equations

x
The elastic potential energy of a spring is
one half the product of its spring constant
multiplied by the square of its deformation.

What is the spring constant k ?

The spring constant tells you the stiffness of the spring.

Stiff springs have high spring constants.

Weak springs have low spring constants.

The spring constant k is a property of the spring itself.

It does not change when the spring is deformed.

Units of the spring constant

The spring constant has units of N/m, or newtons per meter.

Example: A 300 N/m spring requires 300 N

of force to stretch 1 meter.

A stiff spring needs a large force to stretch it

a meter, so it has a large spring constant.

A stiff spring stores more potential energy

per meter of stretch.

What is x ?
The deformation x is the change
in the length of the spring.
It can be positive or negative.
It points in the opposite
direction of the spring force.
It has units of meters.

Elastic potential energy

Elastic potential energy

Work

W = Fd
Work is force times distance.

Hookes law

W = Fd
F = -kx

Hookes law

W = Fd
F = -kx

where k is the spring constant

in N/m . . .
and x is the change in length
of the spring in meters.

Elastic potential energy

Ep is equal to the work done to

deform the spring by an amount x.

Elastic potential energy

This expression is true for

more than just springs!

Elastic potential energy

Elastic potential energy is stored in all objects that

can deform and spring back to their original shape.

Elastic potential energy

such as a rubber band . . .

Typical elastic potential energies

Assessment
1. What kind of energy is stored in the rubber band?
2. What type of materials are rubber bands and spring ?
3. What is the k in the formula?
4. What will happen to the spring or rubber bands when you stretch it or apply force on it?
5. What kind of potential energy does a rubber band have?