P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23

1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon?

2. What happens when an object changes shape?
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change?

Starter:

What is happening to the Ball?

KC
P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. What happens when an object changes shape? elastic potential energy,
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change? spring constant
Lesson Objective
To understand the factors that affect elastic energy and how it can be
calculated.
Route to Learning
• State the factors that affect the elastic potential energy store Grade 4
of a spring.
• Describe energy changes involving potential energy and kinetic Grade 5
energy stores.
• Calculate the elastic potential energy store of a stretched Grade 6
spring.
• Perform calculations involving the rearrangement of the elastic Grade 7
potential energy equation.
• Perform a wide range of calculations involving transfer of Grade 8
energy.
LO
P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. What happens when an object changes shape? elastic potential energy,
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change? spring constant

Topic Learning Route

P1 1 Changes in Energy Stores
P1 2 Conservation of Energy
P1 3 Energy and Work
P1 4 Gravitational Potential Energy Stores
P1 5b Kinetic Energy Stores
P1 5b Elastic Energy Stores
P1 6 Energy Dissipation
P1 7 Energy and Efficiency
P1 8 Electrical Appliances
P1 9 Energy and Power
LO
P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. What happens when an object changes shape? elastic potential energy,
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change? spring constant

Squashing an Object – Slow Motion

What will
happen to the
balls shape?

What will
happen to the
mans face?
Did you use the word:
• Deform
• Compress
• Squash
• Stretch
Click Picture to Activate

WS
P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. What happens when an object changes shape? elastic potential energy,
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change? spring constant

Squashing an Object – Atomic Slow Motion

• The Block is made up of
atoms in a regular pattern
• The bonding force between
atoms is represented by mini
springs
• Placing the Block in a
machine
• Machine closes and pushes
first layer of atoms
• Next layer of atoms is then
pushed by the first layer of
atoms
• Block now takes up its new
shape until released from the
machine SK
P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. What happens when an object changes shape? elastic potential energy,
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change? spring constant

Elastic Potential Energy

Un-Stretch Spring

Spring Stretched when Work is Done (Force  Distance)

When a Spring is stretched the Work Done to stretch it is stored

in the Spring as Elastic Potential Energy (EPE)

SK
P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. What happens when an object changes shape? elastic potential energy,
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change? spring constant

Stretching – Bungee Jump

What’s going to
happen to the
bungee cord when
the lady jumps?

Did you use the word:

• Stretch
• Extension
• Elastic
Click Picture to Activate
• Tension
WS
P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23

Stretching – Don’t Bump you're Head!

Un-stretched Bungee Cord

Original Length
(with nobody attached)
Extended Length

Extension
How do they know the
person wont bang their
head at the bottom?
Weight
SK
P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. What happens when an object changes shape? elastic potential energy,
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change? spring constant

Stretching – Calculating Extension

Robert Hooke
Robert Hooke found that if you know a materials
stiffness (“springiness”) you can predict the
extension, if you know the force stretching the
material.
Hooke's law states that the force (F) needed to
extend or compress a spring is proportional to
1635 to 1703 the extension/compression distance (e).

F=ke
where k = material stiffness
SK
P1 5b - Kinetic Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Kinetic Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. How can we calculate Kinetic Energy? Kinetic Energy, Elastic
3. How does Potential Energy transfer to Kinetic Energy? Potential Energy

Calculating the Kinetic Energy

Elastic Potential Energy = ½  Spring constant  Extension2

EPE = ½  k  e2

Elastic Potential Energy is measured in Joules (J)

Spring constant is measured in Newton’s per metre (N/m)
Extension/Compression is measured in metres (m)

Elastic Potential Energy abbreviation is EPE or EEPE

ADD SK
 P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. What happens when an object changes shape? elastic potential energy,
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change? spring constant

Elastic Potential Energy Factors Marking Pen

EPE = ½  k  e2

Looking at the equation/formula what two changes could be Grade

2-3
made to affect the amount of energy stored in a bungee cord?
Increase or decrease the Extension
e.g. Larger extension gives a larger energy stored

Increase or decrease the Spring constant

e.g. Smaller spring constant gives a smaller energy stored

Reminder: k = Spring constant, e = extension SK

 P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23

Slow Mo Bungee Jump Energy Changes

The Energy Changes in Person and Bungee Cord
when a person jumps and get to the bottom
• Cord slack at the Top, Gravitational Potential
Energy in the person
• Person jumps, Cord still slack Gravitational
Potential Energy in the person is transferring
into Kinetic Energy
• Cord starts stretching, Kinetic Energy
transferring into Elastic Potential Energy
• When at the bottom the Cord cannot stretch
any more, all Kinetic Energy and
Gravitational Potential Energy transferred

GPE

EPE
into Elastic Potential Energy

KE
GPE = Gravitational Potential Energy, KE = Kinetic Energy, EPE = Elastic Potential Energy AP
 P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23

Bungee Jump Energy Changes Grade

4-5
Marking Pen
State the Energy Changes in the Person and Bungee
Cord: when they jump and get to the bottom.
Position Description GPE KE EPE

At the Maximum
top Stationary, unstretched Zero Zero
Value

1/2 way Falling, the bungee cord

down has not yet stretched Decreasing Increasing Zero

3/4 of
Falling, the bungee cord Maximum
the way Decreasing Increasing
down is just starting to stretch Value

At the Stationary, bungee cord Maximum

bottom fully stretched Zero Zero
Value

GPE

EPE
KE
GPE = Gravitational Potential Energy, KE = Kinetic Energy, EPE = Elastic Potential Energy
AP
P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. What happens when an object changes shape? elastic potential energy,
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change? spring constant
Lesson Objective
To understand the factors that affect elastic energy and how it can be
calculated.
Route to Learning
• State the factors that affect the elastic potential energy store of Grade 4
a spring.
• Describe energy changes involving potential energy and kinetic Grade 5
energy stores.
• Calculate the elastic potential energy store of a stretched Grade 6
spring.
• Perform calculations involving the rearrangement of the elastic Grade 7
potential energy equation.
• Perform a wide range of calculations involving transfer of Grade 8
energy.
LO
P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. What happens when an object changes shape? elastic potential energy,
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change? spring constant

Elastic Potential Energy Example 1

If a spring has a spring constant of 2,000N/m and an extension of
0.2m, how much potential energy is stored in the spring?

Elastic Potential Energy (EPE) = ½ k e2

EPE = 0.5  2000  (0.2)2
k = 2000 N/m
e = 0.2m EPE = 0.5  2000  0.04
½ = 0.5 EPE = 40J

AP
P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. What happens when an object changes shape? elastic potential energy,
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change? spring constant

Elastic Potential Energy Example 2

If a spring has a spring constant of 1,000N/m and an extension of
0.1m how much potential energy is stored in the spring?

Elastic Potential Energy (EPE) = ½ k e2

EPE = 0.5  1000  (0.1)2
k = 1000 N/m
e = 0.1m EPE = 0.5  1000  0.01
½ = 0.5 EPE = 5J

AP
P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. What happens when an object changes shape? elastic potential energy,
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change? spring constant

Question Answer Check Swap with someone – Marking Pen

Grade
k = 3N/m, e = 0.1m 0.5  3  0.2 = 0.06J
2 5-6

Spring constant = 6N/m, Extension =

2m 0.5  6  22 = 12J
A train buffer of 1200N/m was 15cm = 0.15m
compressed 15cm 0.5  1200  0.152 = 13.5J
A catapult of 5N/m fires a stone
after being pulled back 12cm. How 12cm = 0.12m
much energy was transferred to the 0.5  5  0.122 = 0.036J
stone upon launch?
An electronic kitchen scales has a
1000N/m spring system which
allows 0.0005m deflection under 0.5  1000  0.00052 = 0.000125J
load
AP
 P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. What happens when an object changes shape? elastic potential energy,
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change? spring constant

Elastic Potential Energy Example 3

If it took 20J to extend a spring 10cm, what is the spring constant?

EPE = ½ k e2
EPE = 20J 20 = 0.5  k  (0.1)2
k=?
e = 10cm = 0.1m 20 = 0.5  k  0.01
½ = 0.5
20  (0.5  0.01) = k
20  0.005 = k
k = 4000 N/m
Note: Divide by 100 to convert centimetres to metres AP
P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy
Question Answer Check
EPE = 10100J
e = 0.2m
Elastic Potential Energy = 50J
Original length = 0.6m
Extended length = 0.8m
A bouncy ball is compressed by
0.005m and stores 0.2J when
thrown at the floor.
A school boy catapult releases a
paint ball with 0.998J when he
has pulled it back from 2cm to
14cm.
A car in a crash stores 100J of
energy in the body of the vehicle
when elastically squashed by
2cm.
16/04/23
Grade
6-7 Marking Pen
10100  (0.5  0.22) = 505000N/m
0.8 – 0.6 = 0.2m = Extension
50  (0.5  0.22) = 2500N/m
0.2  (0.5  0.0052) = 16000N/m
14 – 2 = 12cm = 0.12m = Extension
0.998  (0.5  0.122) = 138.6N/m
2cm = 0.02m
100  (0.5  0.02 2
) = 500000N/m
500000N/m = 500kN/m
AP
 P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23

Elastic Potential Energy Example 4

If a spring has a Potential Energy of 60J and a spring constant of
3000N/m; What is the spring extension?
EPE = ½ k e2
EPE = 60J 60 = 0.5  3000  (e)2
k = 3000N/m
e=? 60 = (0.5  3000)  (e)2
½ = 0.5
60 = 1500  (e)2
60  1500 = (e)2
0.04 = (e)2
0.04 = e
e = 0.2 m = 20cm
Note: Multiple by 100 to convert metres to centimetres ADD AP
P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23

Question Answer Check Marking Pen

Grade
7-8

k = 1000N/m SQRT(5  (0.5  1000)) = 0.1m

EPE = 5J 0.1m = 10cm
Elastic Potential Energy = 80kN/m = 80000N/m
2500J SQRT(2500  (0.5  80000)) = 0.25
Spring constant = 80kN/m 0.25m = 25cm
A person jumps onto a
trampoline and stores 41.25J SQRT(41.25  (0.5  3666.7)) =
at its maximum extension of 0.14999m
average springiness 0.14999m = 15cm
3666.7N/m
A pen is clicked down onto a
spring of 10N/m which stores SQRT(0.000125  (0.5  10)) = 0.005
0.000125J in the squashed 0.005m = 0.5cm
spring.
AP
P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23

Question Answer Check Marking Pen

Grade
7-8

An Australian kangaroo has an

elastic tendon of 0.75m in its
back leg with an average spring
constant of 9000N/m for both
legs, which stores 45J of energy
upon bounce. What’s the
Extended length of the tendon?
SQRT(45  (0.5  9000)) = 0.1m
0.75 + 0.1 = 0.85m
Extended length of the tendon
is 0.85m

AP
P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. What happens when an object changes shape? elastic potential energy,
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change? spring constant

Elastic Potential Energy to Kinetic Energy

Elastic Potential Energy can be converted into Kinetic Energy by

a device such as a catapult, but make sure your catapult is
designed correctly.

AP
 P1 5b - Kinetic Energy 16/04/23

Elastic Potential Energy to Kinetic Energy

While waiting for Road Runner, Wile e Coyote has Total Energy
only Elastic Potential Energy (EPE).

EPE
KE
½  k  e2max = ½  m  v2max
Once fired all the EPE
Max Extension EPE = Max KE at Launch has been converted
into KE at launch.
Note: Assumes no friction and horizontal catapult
P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. What happens when an object changes shape? elastic potential energy,
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change? spring constant

Question Answer Check Grade

7-8 Marking Pen

A 10kg watermelon is launched

from a catapult with a velocity of
15m/s. The catapult was
extended 0.65m before release.
What is the average spring
constant of the catapult?
0.5  10  152 = 1125J = KE
Max KE = Max Extension EPE
1125J  (0.5  0.652) =
5325.44N/m

An elastic band of spring 33cm – 10cm = 23cm = 0.23m

constant 109N/m pulled back
33cm from its original length of
10cm releases a wet paper ball at
13m/s. What is the mass of the
wet paper ball?
0.5  109  0.232 = 2.88J = EPE
Max Extension EPE = Max KE
2.88  (0.5  132) = 0.034kg
0.034kg = 34g

AP
P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. What happens when an object changes shape? elastic potential energy,
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change? spring constant
Lesson Objective
To understand the factors that affect elastic energy and how it can be
calculated.
Route to Learning
• State the factors that affect the elastic potential energy store of Grade 4
a spring.
• Describe energy changes involving potential energy and kinetic Grade 5
energy stores.
• Calculate the elastic potential energy store of a stretched Grade 6
spring.
• Perform calculations involving the rearrangement of the elastic Grade 7
potential energy equation.
• Perform a wide range of calculations involving transfer of Grade 8
energy.
LO
P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon?
2. What happens when an object changes shape?
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change?

Plenary
Today we have learnt:
• Elastic Potential Energy is the energy stored in an elastic object
when work is done on the object
• Hooke’s Law can be used to predict an extension or a force
• Elastic Potential Energy can be calculated from
EPE = ½ ke2
k = Spring Constant, e = Extension of Spring

SK
Additional Material
 P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. What happens when an object changes shape? elastic potential energy,
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change? spring constant

Calculating Elastic Potential Energy (EPE)

Area of a Rectangle = a x b Remember
b) Work Done = Force  Distance
ax
= ½( Distance = Extension
e
ri a ngl
of aT
Are
a EPE = ½  (Force  Extension)
Remember
Force = Spring constant  Extension

EPE = ½  (Spring constant  Extension  Extension)

Elastic Potential Energy = ½  k  e2

Note: a = Force, b = Extension RET SK

P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. What happens when an object changes shape? elastic potential energy,
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change? spring constant

Calculating Extension from Elastic Potential Energy

EPE = ½  k  e2
 both sides by ½

2  EPE = k  e2
 both sides by k

(2  EPE)  k = e2
square root both sides

(2  EPE)  k = e
e on left side

e = (2  EPE)  k
RET SK
P1 5b - Elastic Potential Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Elastic Potential Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. What happens when an object changes shape? elastic potential energy,
3. How can we calculate Elastic Potential Energy change? spring constant

Stretching a Spring Plotting the results of an

experiment stretching a spring it
should produced a line chart
with a straight line of best fit.

This is a linear relationship.

This confirms Hooke’s law which states that the Force (F) needed
to extend or compress a spring is proportional to the Extension
distance (e).
F=ke
where k = material stiffness\ spring constant
WS
P1 5b - Kinetic Energy 16/04/23
1. What does Kinetic Energy depend upon? Key Words:
2. How can we calculate Kinetic Energy? Kinetic Energy, Elastic
3. How does Potential Energy transfer to Kinetic Energy? Potential Energy

Knowledge Check
1) What is the formula for Kinetic KE = ½  m  v2
Energy?
2) What is the energy change for a GPE  KE
falling object?
3) For a swinging pendulum, where is At the bottom of the swing
the Kinetic energy the greatest?
4) What is the relationship between
Force, Work Done and Distance? Work Done = Force  Distance

5) What are the units for Force, Work Force (N), Work Done (J),
Done and Distance? Distance (m)
RET
P1 Conservation and dissipation of energy 16/04/23

PowerPoint Slide Codes:

KC Knowledge Check – hyperlinks to a question slide

SK represents Subject Knowledge
WS represents Working Scientifically
APP represents Application
CS represents Communicating Scientifically
ADD represents a link to additional resources in the slide deck
(hyperlinked - click on it)
RET represents Return from additional resources to where you
came in from clicking ADD (hyperlinked - click on it)
P1 Conservation and dissipation of energy 16/04/23

Find us on TES, search for “ThePhysicsStore”

Other material on this topic (and many more)
is available:
P1 1 Changes in Energy Stores
P1 2 Conservation of Energy
P1 3 Energy and Work
P1 4 Potential Energy Find us on the web,
P1 5a Kinetic Energy search for “www.thephysicsstore.co.uk”
P1 5b Elastic Energy Provide us feedback via “customerservices@thephysicsstore.co.uk”

P1 6 Energy Dissipation
P1 7 Energy Efficiency
P1 8 Electrical Appliances
P1 9 Energy and Power