What is the stored energy of a wind-up watch?

[kelcijade]

Homework Statement

A person does .02 Joules of work winding a watch. Assuming NO loss of energy to friction, how much energy is stored in the watch's main spring?

Homework Equations

PE=1/2kx^2 ?? I have no idea..

The Attempt at a Solution

I've gotten nowhere trying to do this problem without other information, such as mass or length.

Thank you for looking and helping!

 

[berkeman]

Homework Statement

A person does .02 Joules of work winding a watch. Assuming NO loss of energy to friction, how much energy is stored in the watch's main spring?

Homework Equations

PE=1/2kx^2 ?? I have no idea..

The Attempt at a Solution

I've gotten nowhere trying to do this problem without other information, such as mass or length.

Thank you for looking and helping!

Welcome to the PF.

Hint -- what are the units of energy?

 

[HallsofIvy]

Also crucial- conservation of energy since there is no friction. Don't use a formula- think.

 

[kelcijade]

The unit of energy is just Joules.. Right? Well in this case.

So would it just be a potential energy of .02J since the total work done is calculated by the Newtons of force and meters which they don't give in the problem?

 

[berkeman]

The unit of energy is just Joules.. Right? Well in this case.

So would it just be a potential energy of .02J since the total work done is calculated by the Newtons of force and meters which they don't give in the problem?

Correct. As Halls alludes to, since there is no energy lost to friction, all of the work has to go into storing potential energy in the spring. Good job!

 

[kelcijade]

Correct. As Halls alludes to, since there is no energy lost to friction, all of the work has to go into storing potential energy in the spring. Good job!

Thank you both!