ELASTIC POTENTIAL ENERGY

- The energy that is stored in elastic material and object

- The energy an object has in it due to being detained, any object that can be deformed and can
be return to its original shape can have elastic potential energy

Examples are spring and rubber bands

Spring

Once we compress the spring and we move our hand the stored energy will be release helping the
spring bounce back and return to its original position. Spring can be compress and stretch, it will back in
the same shape or original position.

Rubber bands

A stretch rubber bands also acquires elastic potential energy, the further it stretched the more potential
energy it has.
Example:

A compressed spring has the potential energy of 20 J and its spring constant is 200 N/m. Calculate
the displacement of the spring.

Solution:

Given:

Potential energy P.E = 40 J,

Spring Constant k = 200 N/m,

The Potential energy formula is given by

P.E =1/2 kx²

The displacement is given by

X = √2P.E / k

= √2×40 / 200

= 0.632 m