So we have a can with a rubberband tied to both the top and bottom of the can wi

Question

So we have a can with a rubberband tied to both the top and bottom of the can with a weight in the middle. This is all enclosed.

       What is happening inside the can that converts kinetic energy to potential energy? What form of potential energy is this? The weight inside is being pulled down by gravity making the rubber band twist and then it twists back into its original position. Its gravitational potential energy.

     How is the stored energy converted back to kinetic energy?

What function does the suspended mass have? Why is it crucial that this is a relatively heavy object?

      Let

Explanation / Answer

Firstly the energy can neither be produced nor be destroyed , it just transforms from one form to the other...this is the ground point, coming tio the question;

the gravitational Potential energy pulls the body down and the elastic strength of the rubber pulls it up; so the gravitational Potential energy is converted into kinetic energy because of the elasticity of rubber.

(a) acceleration = 2s/t^2 = 2(3)/ 5^2= 0.24 m/s^2

(b) force = mass * acc = 0.5*0.24 = 0.12 N

(c) workdone = force * distance = 0.36 J

(d)power = workdone/time = 0.072 Watt

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