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:
- A $40$ kg object is moved horizontally from point A to point B on a table. What is the work done by gravity during this movement?
- An object of mass $8$ kg is placed $7$ meters above the ground. What is the energy it possesses? (Take $g=10$ $m/s^2$)
- Raising an object from the ground results in the storage of which type of energy?
- At time t=0, a body of mass 1 Kg starts to fall freely from rest from a height of 100 m. Compared to the kinetic energy at 3 seconds, the kinetic energy at 4 seconds ________.
