Item RG132002: When comparing three springs, the spring that is harder to stretch will have more elastic potential energy than the other springs if they are all stretched the same amount.
A student has three springs and would like to compare the elastic potential energy the springs have when stretched. He stretches all three springs 5 cm and lets go, which allows them to go back to their unstretched lengths. He makes several observations about each spring and records his observations in the table below:
Spring | How difficult to stretch? | Unstretched Length | Weight |
1 | Easiest to stretch | Shortest | In between 2 and 3 |
2 | Hardest to stretch | In between 1 and 3 | Lightest |
3 | In between 1 and 2 | Longest | Heaviest |
Based on his findings, the student decides that Spring 3 has the most elastic potential energy. Is the student’s conclusion accurate?
- Yes, Spring 3 has the most elastic potential energy because the heavier a spring is the more elastic potential energy it has.
- Yes, Spring 3 has the most elastic potential energy because the longer a spring is the more elastic potential energy it has.
- No, Spring 1 has the most elastic potential energy because the easier a spring is to stretch, the more elastic potential energy it has.
- No, Spring 2 has the most elastic potential energy because the harder a spring is to stretch, the more elastic potential energy it has.