Forces & Elasticity

• stretching, compressing or bending transfers energy
• extension is directionally proportional to force
• force = spring constant x extension
• spring constant

  a measure of how stiff the spring is
• extension

  the difference between the stretched and unstretched lengths of a spring
• elastic potential energy = 1/2 x spring constant x (extension)^2
• elastic deformation

  when an object is stretched, bent, compressed or twisted but returns to its normal shape after force is removed
• inelastic deformation

  when an object is stretched, bent, compressed or twisted but doesn't return it its normal shape after forces are removed
• PRACTICAL - INVESTIGATING SPRINGS

  1. set clampstand up with spring attached to it
  2. set pointer on zero on the ruler to avoid zero error
  3. add a mass or force too the spring and measure the extension
  4. make sure you read from eye level to avoid any parallax error
  5. continue adding masses and measure the extension each time
  6. record data and plot a graph