Types of Mechanical Energy - High School Physics
Card 0 of 9
A spring with 
hangs vertically next to a ruler. The end of the spring is next to the 
mark on the ruler. If a 
mass is now attached to the end of the spring, where will the end of the spring line up with the ruler marks?
A spring with 
Known
Unknown
First let us consider the force acting on the spring. Since the spring is hanging vertically, the only force acting on the spring is the force of gravity from the mass that has been added to the spring.
We can substitute in our variables and find the gravitational force.
According to Hooke’s Law the spring constant of a spring is directly proportional to the force acting on it and inversely proportional to the amount of stretch.
We can use the provided spring constant and the force acting on the spring to determine the amount of stretch.
Known
Unknown
First let us consider the force acting on the spring. Since the spring is hanging vertically, the only force acting on the spring is the force of gravity from the mass that has been added to the spring.
We can substitute in our variables and find the gravitational force.
According to Hooke’s Law the spring constant of a spring is directly proportional to the force acting on it and inversely proportional to the amount of stretch.
We can use the provided spring constant and the force acting on the spring to determine the amount of stretch.
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How high will a 
stone go if thrown straight up by someone who does 
of work on it? Ignore air resistance.
How high will a 
Known
Unknown
When something does work on an object it changes the total energy of the object. In this case, the work done by the person converts to kinetic energy as the stone is launched. This kinetic energy is then turned into gravitational potential energy when the stone is at the highest point of the peak.
Work done = Kinetic Energy when the stone leaves the hand = Gravitational Potential Energy at the peak
We can set the work done to the gravitational potential energy
Plug in our known values and solve.
Known
Unknown
When something does work on an object it changes the total energy of the object. In this case, the work done by the person converts to kinetic energy as the stone is launched. This kinetic energy is then turned into gravitational potential energy when the stone is at the highest point of the peak.
Work done = Kinetic Energy when the stone leaves the hand = Gravitational Potential Energy at the peak
We can set the work done to the gravitational potential energy
Plug in our known values and solve.
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A 
car rolling on a horizontal road has speed of 
when it strikes a horizontal coiled spring and is brought to rest in a distance of 
. What is the spring stiffness constant of the spring?
A 
Known
We need to convert our velocity to 
Unkonwn
The easiest way to solve this problem is through conservation of energy. When the car is rolling along the road it has kinetic energy. Once the spring brings it to a complete stop, the car has elastic potential energy. According to the law of conservation of energy, these two values should be equal to one another
We can now plug in our known values and solve for the missing variable
Known
We need to convert our velocity to
Unkonwn
The easiest way to solve this problem is through conservation of energy. When the car is rolling along the road it has kinetic energy. Once the spring brings it to a complete stop, the car has elastic potential energy. According to the law of conservation of energy, these two values should be equal to one another
We can now plug in our known values and solve for the missing variable
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A baseball has a mass of 
. If a high school pitcher can throw a baseball at 
, what is the approximate kinetic energy associated with this pitch?
A baseball has a mass of 
To solve for the kinetic energy, we will need to use the equation:
Before we can plug in our given values, we must convert the mass from grams to kilograms. Remember, the SI unit for mass is kilograms, so most calculations will require this conversion.
Now we can use this mass and the given velocity to solve for the kinetic energy.
To solve for the kinetic energy, we will need to use the equation:
Before we can plug in our given values, we must convert the mass from grams to kilograms. Remember, the SI unit for mass is kilograms, so most calculations will require this conversion.
Now we can use this mass and the given velocity to solve for the kinetic energy.
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A 
ball is about to roll off the edge of a 
tall table. What is its current potential energy?
A 
The equation for potential energy is 
. We are given the mass of the ball, the height of the table, and the acceleration of gravity in the question. The distance the ball travels is in the downward direction, making it negative.
Plug in the values, and solve for the potential energy.
The units for energy are Joules.
The equation for potential energy is 
Plug in the values, and solve for the potential energy.
The units for energy are Joules.
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A spring has a spring stiffness constant of 
. How much must this spring be stretched to store 
of potential energy?
A spring has a spring stiffness constant of 
Knowns
Unknowns
Equation
Plug in the vales and solve for the stretch of the spring.
Knowns
Unknowns
Equation
Plug in the vales and solve for the stretch of the spring.
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When the speed of your car is doubled, by what factor does its kinetic energy increase?
When the speed of your car is doubled, by what factor does its kinetic energy increase?
Therefore when you double the velocity, that value is then squared.
Therefore your kinetic energy is increased by 4 times the original amount.
Therefore when you double the velocity, that value is then squared.
Therefore your kinetic energy is increased by 4 times the original amount.
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A car traveling at a velocity 
can stop in a minimum distance 
. What would be the car’s minimum stopping distance if it were traveling at a velocity of 
?
A car traveling at a velocity 
Work causes a change in the kinetic energy of an object. In the example of a car stopping, the work done on the car causes the car to slow down to a stop, therefore changing the kinetic energy.
Work is also equal to the force times the displacement of the object. In this case, we are assuming that the force applied to stop the car does not change.
Since the car is coming to a stop the final velocity of the car is 0m/s.
Therefore when you double the velocity, that value is then squared.
Therefore your kinetic energy is increased by 
times the original amount.
If your kinetic energy is 
times greater, than with the same force being applied, the stopping distance will also increase by 
times since they are directly related.
Work causes a change in the kinetic energy of an object. In the example of a car stopping, the work done on the car causes the car to slow down to a stop, therefore changing the kinetic energy.
Work is also equal to the force times the displacement of the object. In this case, we are assuming that the force applied to stop the car does not change.
Since the car is coming to a stop the final velocity of the car is 0m/s.
Therefore when you double the velocity, that value is then squared.
Therefore your kinetic energy is increased by 
If your kinetic energy is 
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A 
mass attached to the end of a spring causes it to stretch 
. If another 
mass is added to the spring, the potential energy of the spring will be
A 
Hooke’s law states that spring constant is directly related to the force applied and the distance that the object is stretched.
We also know that the potential energy of a spring is related to the spring constant and the distance that the object is stretched
We can substitute our equation for Hooke’s law into the potential energy equation.
This simplifies to
This equation shows that there is a direct relationship between the force on the spring and the potential energy of the spring. If the force is doubled, then the potential energy will likewise double.
Hooke’s law states that spring constant is directly related to the force applied and the distance that the object is stretched.
We also know that the potential energy of a spring is related to the spring constant and the distance that the object is stretched
We can substitute our equation for Hooke’s law into the potential energy equation.
This simplifies to
This equation shows that there is a direct relationship between the force on the spring and the potential energy of the spring. If the force is doubled, then the potential energy will likewise double.
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