Potential Energy When we were discussing work, we said that if a force does a positive work on an object then energy is generated in it. When we were talking about kinetic energy we have given an example of it too. We have shown that by applying a force on an object if the object moves by a distance, then its kinetic energy becomes mv2
Now, we will give such an example where force is applied and displacement occurs even then no kinetic energy is produced. Suppose, a spring is kept on a table as shown
X applied a force at the free end of the spring by your finger and compressed it
00000000 by an amount x. In such a condition, none of your hand or spring is in motion, so no kinetic energy is present in any of them.
spring and compressed by applied the distance traversed is in the same force direction, so the work done is positive. According to the definition of work, here energy is to be created. But where is that energy? Here nothing is in motion, so definitely there is no kinetic energy. Those of us who have used springs can guess that energy is definitely hidden in the compressed spring. Because if an object of mass m is kept before the compressed spring and then released, the spring would exert a force on it and make a displacement, which means the spring would perform work. That is it's
make a displacement, which means the spring would perform work. That is it's a kind of energy, even it is not kinetic energy, this is another form of energy. This type of stored energy is called potential energy. This energy is developed due to the 'sate or position of the object.If the spring constant of a spring is k, and if the spring is compressed by a distance x from its normal state, then the potential energy stored in it is,
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