elastic potential energy

(noun)

The energy stored in a deformable object, such as a spring.

Related Terms

Examples of elastic potential energy in the following topics:

  • Elastic Potential Energy

    • If a force results in only deformation, with no thermal, sound, or kinetic energy, the work done is stored as elastic potential energy.
    • A mouse trap stores elastic potential energy by twisting a piece of metal; this energy is released when the mouse steps into it.
    • For example, the potential energy PEel stored in a spring is
    • This energy can also produce macroscopic vibrations sufficiently lacking in randomization to lead to oscillations that are merely the exchange between (elastic) potential energy within the object and the kinetic energy of motion of the object as a whole.
    • Express elastic energy stored in a spring in a mathematical form

  • Energy in a Simple Harmonic Oscillator

    • The total energy in a simple harmonic oscillator is the constant sum of the potential and kinetic energies.
    • Recall that the potential energy (PE), stored in a spring that follows Hooke's Law is:
    • As the object starts to move, the elastic potential energy is converted to kinetic energy, becoming entirely kinetic energy at the equilibrium position.
    • It is then converted back into elastic potential energy by the spring, the velocity becomes zero when the kinetic energy is completely converted, and so on.
    • All energy is potential energy.

  • What is Potential Energy?

    • Potential energy is the energy difference between the energy of an object in a given position and its energy at a reference position.
    • This work is stored in the force field as potential energy.
    • The more formal definition is that potential energy is the energy difference between the energy of an object in a given position and its energy at a reference position.
    • For example, the work of an elastic force is called elastic potential energy ; work done by the gravitational force is called gravitational potential energy; and work done by the Coulomb force is called electric potential energy.
    • In the case of a bow and arrow, the energy is converted from the potential energy in the archer's arm to the potential energy in the bent limbs of the bow when the string is drawn back.

  • Hooke's Law

    • Hooke's law of elasticity is an approximation that states that the extension of a spring is directly proportional to the load applied to it.
    • In mechanics (physics), Hooke's law is an approximation of the response of elastic (i.e., springlike) bodies.
    • Many materials obey this law of elasticity as long as the load does not exceed the material's elastic limit.
    • Materials for which Hooke's law is a useful approximation are known as linear-elastic or "Hookean" materials.
    • A brief overview of springs, Hooke's Law, and elastic potential energy for algebra-based physics students.

  • Other Forms of Energy

    • Thermal, chemical, electric, radiant, nuclear, magnetic, elastic, sound, mechanical, luminous, and mass are forms that energy can exist in.
    • Electric Energy: This is energy that is from electrical potential energy, a result of Coulombic forces.
    • An example of something that stores elastic energy is a stretched rubber band.
    • It is the sum of all of the kinetic and potential energy that the object has.
    • In each of the aforementioned forms, energy exists as either kinetic energy, potential energy, or a combination of both.

  • Elastic Arteries

    • The pulmonary arteries, the aorta, and its branches together comprise the body's system of elastic arteries.
    • This stretching generates the potential energy that will help maintain blood pressure during diastole, as during this time the aorta contracts passively.
    • Additionally, the elastic recoil helps conserve the energy from the pumping heart and smooth the flow of blood around the body through the Windkessel effect.
    • In elastic arteies the tunica media is very rich with elastic and connective tissue.
    • The aorta makes up most of the elastic arteries in the body.

  • Muscular Arteries

    • Distributing arteries are medium-sized arteries that draw blood from an elastic artery and branch into "resistance vessels".
    • Muscular, or distributing, arteries are medium-sized arteries that draw blood from an elastic artery and branch into "resistance vessels" including small arteries and arterioles.
    • In contrast to the mechanism elastic arteries use to store and dissipate energy generated by the heart's contraction, muscular arteries contain layers of smooth muscle providing allowing for involuntary control of vessel calibre and thus control of blood flow.
    • Muscular arteries can be identified by the well defined elastic lamina which lies between the tunicae intima and media.

  • Types of Energy

    • The various types of energy include kinetic, potential, and chemical energy.
    • The jet engines are converting potential energy in fuel to the kinetic energy of movement.
    • Objects transfer their energy between potential and kinetic states.
    • This type of potential energy is called chemical energy, and like all potential energy, it can be used to do work.
    • Water behind a dam has potential energy.

  • Gravity

    • Gravitational energy is the potential energy associated with gravitational force, as work is required to move objects against gravity.
    • The potential energy due to elevated positions is called gravitational potential energy, evidenced, for example, by water held in an elevated reservoir or behind a dam (as an example, shows Hoover Dam).
    • (The surface will be the zero point of the potential energy. ) We can express the potential energy (gravitational potential energy) as:
    • Hoover dam uses the stored gravitational potential energy to generate electricity.
    • Generate an equation that can be used to express the gravitational potential energy near the earth

  • Potential Energy Curves and Equipotentials

    • A potential energy curve plots potential energy as a function of position; equipotential lines trace lines of equal potential energy.
    • A potential energy curve plots the potential energy of an object as a function of that object's position.
    • We observe that the potential energy increases as the kinetic energy decreases and vice versa.
    • The utility of a potential energy curve is that we can quickly determine the potential energy of the object in question at a given position.
    • Equipotential lines trace lines of equal potential energy.