An automatic safety switch contains a spring. When the switch is set to the 'on' position, the spring is stretched.
The extension of the spring is 0.050 m0.050\text{ m}0.050 m. The spring constant is 320 N/m320\text{ N/m}320 N/m.
Calculate the elastic potential energy stored in the spring when the switch is set to 'on'.
Use the equation:
elastic potential energy=0.5×spring constant×(extension)2 \text{elastic potential energy} = 0.5 \times \text{spring constant} \times (\text{extension})^2 elastic potential energy=0.5×spring constant×(extension)2