Exploring Energy Transformations: From Potential to Kinetic and Beyond

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MY ATTEMPT:

gPE to KE - Water in waterfall
KE to gPE - Climbing mountain
Strain to KE - Firing an arrow
KE to Strain - Trebuchet being wound back
Strain to gPE - ?
gPE to Strain - ?

It is the last 2 for which I really cannot think of instances in life - PLEASE help me out!
 

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hi yeah:)! :smile:
yeah:) said:
KE to gPE - Climbing mountain
KE to Strain - Trebuchet being wound back

I don't really like these answers …

when you climb a mountain (or a ladder), the force from your muscles is immediately converted to gPE … saying that it temporarily becomes KE is missing the point.

Same thing for the trebuchet … your muscles immediately increase the strain in the trebuchet.
Strain to KE - Firing an arrow

erm … that's cheating! :redface: …

it's the same as pulling a bow, which the question has ruled out (the arrow itself has no strain, does it? so the strain is in the bow :wink:)

Try to think of an example where horizontal motion of one thing is converted into strain of another thing (or vice versa). :smile:
Strain to gPE - ?
gPE to Strain - ?

It is the last 2 for which I really cannot think of instances in life - PLEASE help me out!

Try the others again first. :smile:
 
Hi Yeah:)! :smile:
Tiny-Tim,

Thank you for your reply to my thread. How about these:

Kinetic to Strain: wind up a rubber-band powered airplane …

What's kinetic about that? If a cat jumping comes from strain (your last example), doesn't all muscular activity?
Strain to Kinetic: ticking of a mainspring wound wristwatch

Yes. :smile:
Gravitational Pot to Kinetic: release a paper airplane from 2 meters above the ground

yes, but why a paper airplane … it's almost the only thing that wouldn't necessarily lose height to start with! :wink:
Kinetic to Gravitational Pot: bounce a rubber ball off ground to the roof

Why not just throw it up!? :wink:
Gravitational Pot to Strain: jump off a chair and land with knees bent

You're not a grasshopper or a frog … I know the brain etc can put human muscles into strain, but I don't think external forces can.

Why not just step onto scales?
Strain to Gravitational Pot: cat jumps from floor to tabletop.

I suppose so. :smile: