Which of the following statements about elastic potential energy stored in a stretched wire is true?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
Which of the following statements about elastic potential energy stored in a stretched wire is true?
It is proportional to the square of the extension
It is proportional to the extension
It is independent of the material
It is always constant
The elastic potential energy stored in a stretched wire is given by U = (1/2) * F * x, which is proportional to the square of the extension.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
1 item
Q
Q: Which of the following statements about elastic potential energy stored in a stretched wire is true?
Solution: The elastic potential energy stored in a stretched wire is given by U = (1/2) * F * x, which is proportional to the square of the extension.
Steps: 5
Step 1: Understand that elastic potential energy is the energy stored in a material when it is stretched or compressed.
Step 2: Know the formula for elastic potential energy in a stretched wire, which is U = (1/2) * F * x.
Step 3: Identify the variables in the formula: U is the elastic potential energy, F is the force applied, and x is the extension (how much the wire is stretched).
Step 4: Recognize that the formula shows that the energy (U) depends on both the force (F) and the extension (x).
Step 5: Understand that the extension (x) affects the energy in a way that if you double the extension, the energy increases by a factor of four, because energy is proportional to the square of the extension.
