ASPECt
Energy: Forms, Transformation, Transfer, and Conservation
Item RG130002: Stretching a spring increases the elastic potential energy because the distance between the molecules that make up the spring increases, and forces between the molecules act to restore the molecules to their original separation.
Figure 1 shows a spring that is neither stretched nor compressed. Figure 2 shows the same spring stretched by 5 cm.
How does stretching the spring affect the elastic potential energy of the spring and why?
- Stretching the spring increases the elastic potential energy because the distance between the molecules increases, and forces between the molecules act to restore the molecules to their original separation.
- Stretching the spring increases the elastic potential energy because the distance between the molecules increases, which causes the forces between the molecules to increase.
- Stretching the spring decreases the elastic potential energy because the distance between the molecules increases, which causes the forces between the molecules to decrease.
- Stretching the spring decreases the elastic potential because the distance between the molecules stays the same, but the act of stretching releases some of the energy stored in the spring.
Answer Choice |
Overall |
Grades |
Gender |
Primary Language |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 2700 |
4–5 n = 0 | 6–8 n = 1281 |
9–12 n = 1419 |
Male n = 1239 |
Female n = 1387 |
English n = 2405 |
Other n = 210 |
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| A. | Stretching the spring increases the elastic potential energy because the distance between the molecules increases, and forces between the molecules act to restore the molecules to their original separation. | 36% | N/A | 36% | 36% | 38% | 34% | 36% | 35% |
| B. | Stretching the spring increases the elastic potential energy because the distance between the molecules increases, which causes the forces between the molecules to increase. | 27% | N/A | 28% | 26% | 26% | 28% | 27% | 25% |
| C. | Stretching the spring decreases the elastic potential energy because the distance between the molecules increases, which causes the forces between the molecules to decrease. | 23% | N/A | 22% | 23% | 21% | 24% | 23% | 27% |
| D. | Stretching the spring decreases the elastic potential because the distance between the molecules stays the same, but the act of stretching releases some of the energy stored in the spring. | 14% | N/A | 13% | 15% | 15% | 14% | 14% | 13% |