Explanation:
A spring has minimum potential energy when it is in its equilibrium position, meaning it is neither compressed nor stretched.
When the spring is compressed, its shape changes from the equilibrium position. This deformation stores energy in the spring in the form of elastic potential energy.
Formula:
Elastic potential energy of a spring is given by:
U = (1/2) k x²
- U = Potential energy
- k = Spring constant
- x = Displacement from equilibrium position
Key Point:
As compression increases, the value of x increases, so the potential energy also increases because it is proportional to x².
Conclusion:
When a spring is compressed from its equilibrium position, its potential energy increases because work is done against the restoring force and stored as elastic potential energy.
Answer: Increase
Important Questions from Work and Energy
The founder of the Pala empire was:
The washing machine works on the principle of __________
- Suppose, a ball of mass M is thrown upwards from a point A and it reaches up to the highest point B and returns back to point A, which one among the following is correct?
- Which one of the following statements for the work done by gravity on a body is NOT correct?
- The work done by the force acting on an object is zero if the displacement of the object
