Pendulums are the structures in which weight is suspended from a pivot so that they could easily swing; for example, a pendulum clock. An unopened carbonated drink 11. For example, a demolition ball stores energy when it is held high without activity. Potential energy is energy that is stored. Potential Energy. Electrostatic potential energy occurs between objects that repel or attract. An archer's bow with the string pulled back 4. The force that returns an object to its original shape is the restoring force. After an object returns to its original form, it does not contain any potential energy because it reaches equilibrium with its physical surroundings. Therefore, we can say that the resting bullets inside the gun contain some amount of energy which is known as potential energy. The food we eat has potential chemical energy. Retrieved on May 31, 2017 from physicsclassroom.com. An arc that is not being used does not have potential energy. The water that is held in dam reservoirs for various purposes like generating electricity in hydropower plants, irrigation, prevention of flood, human consumption, industrial use, etc, possesses some amount of potential energy. Gravitational potential energy in an object can be calculated as-. A ball rolling on a slope presents two moments in which it can store potential energy: the first is when it is at the top of the hill and the second is when it has finished descending and stops. Water that is behind a dam 6. For example; if an object has an initial position at the ground level and final position at some height ‘h,’ then, the potential energy will be independent of the path followed by that object to reach the height ‘h.’ So, the path can be zigzag or a straight line; as long as the height remains constant, the potential energy will remain the same for different paths. Potential energy is the resting form of energy present in any object. When the bob of the pendulum will reach the other end, before coming back by the same path, it will stop for a second at the highest point. Likewise, the swing stores energy when it is not swinging. Your mattress, a click pen, clothes as they stretch, rubber bands, the rubber in the soles of your shoes…etc. As we already know, the energy stored in an object due to its height is known as gravitational potential energy; therefore, we can say that the energy present in the rock will be gravitational potential energy. River water at the top of a waterfall 13. For instance, a compressed spring has elastic potential energy until the coils return to their original alignment and push other objects away. Now, we can easily say that a stretched rubber band will have elastic potential energy stored inside. As we know that work done requires energy and, we obtain our energy from the food we eat. This energy becomes kinetic energy when these objects return to … A raised weight 5. A bow string stretches thanks to the flexibility at both ends of the string. Retrieved on May 31, 2017, from whatis.techtarget.com. A bungee cord, like a common alloy, stores potential energy when stretched. There are several types of potential energy, for example: gravitational, elastic, electrostatic and chemistry. When an archer pulls back the bowstring, some amount of elastic potential energy is gained by the flexible limbs of the bow. Retrieved on May 31, 2017, from jersey.uoregon.edu. When a spring is compressed or stretched, it gains some amount of potential energy called elastic potential energy whereas the energy that is required to compress the spring is called the kinetic energy. Where does this energy in our body to do all the work comes from? A snow pack (potential avalanche) 7. This process will be repeated again and again until the pendulum halts. Elastic potential energy is stored in these objects when they are pulled, stretched or compressed. The more an archer pulls back, the more potential energy will be gained by the limbs of the bow due to stretching. The main types of potential energy contain the gravitational potential energy of the body, elastic potential energy of a stretched spring, and the electric potential energy of an electric charge in the electric field. In attracted objects, the potential energy will be greater the further they are; On the other hand, in the objects that repel, the potential energy will be greater the closer they are. This energy becomes kinetic energy when these objects return to their original shape. More the weight of the object and more the height at which it is held, more will be the gravitational potential energy. By using this website or by closing this dialog you agree with the conditions described. Do you know that working of a bow and arrow employs the first law of thermodynamics, which says that ‘energy can neither be created nor be destroyed; it can only be transferred from one form to another’? As soon as they dive into the water, this gravitational potential energy is converted into the kinetic energy.