Writing Assignment 9: Stored Energy

Part 1: Stored Energy

The Plastic Spoon
I believe that the plastic spoon builds up energy when we pull the round part backwards.  In this case, the spoon from end to end is now arched.  This process builds up energy because if you don’t pull it back at all and just let it sit, then the bottle cap will not go anywhere.  It will just sit but if you pull the spoon back and then let go; then the cap will fly into the air.  Although you are building energy by pulling it back, it will only keep the energy for as long as you hold it backwards.  As you hold it pulled back; the spoon will store the energy until you release and then once it is released then most of the energy is gone.

The Magnetic Rings
The magnetic rings were somewhat tricky.  We were able to position them in different ways but most of the scenarios weren’t strong enough to actually launch a magnet off the dowel object.  In the best case we positioned the magnets where most of them were stuck together and the final one was facing so that it would be pushed away.  We held them all together and let go near the top and the opposing one flew off.  When we are holding them all together then they are storing the energy that will be used.  Magnets are a little different though.  I think that you cannot really pull them back further and further to get more energy and I am not really sure if the longer you hold them then the more energy they will have since they previously have energy in them.  I do think that anytime you have the opposing sides facing each other then there will be energy pushed and not just stored.  Then once you let go of the ones opposing each other, they will push away and possibly cause one to be launched.

The Mallet on the Swing
When you use the mallet on the swing, you pull the mallet back and release to let it hit the ball on the track.  We found that you have to pull the mallet back just far enough to hit the ball to make it go up the hill.  If you pull the mallet back too much then the ball doesn’t stay on the track.  I know this because when we pulled the mallet all the way back then it hit the ball way to hard to be steady.  With that being said, the further back you pull then the harder the mallet will hit the ball because it will have more energy to hit it with.  If you pull the mallet back and hold it then it will store the energy it has gained and the second you let it go it will use most of the energy.

With all of these objects I think that they are similar in that they all are using energy but when it comes to storing it to an extent when you release them they use the energy they have.  As for things not storing energy when being pulled back I think that mostly applies to things that are not elastic or stretchy.  For instance, I don’t think yarn or string stores energy when it is pulled back because when you release it, it doesn’t move or push anything away.  Additionally, I think for something to be storing energy by pulling it back the object has to change in some way like shape or size.

Part 2:  Stored Energy in Batteries and Wood

Stored Energy in Batteries
I think that batteries have stored energy because during all of the investigations that we have conducted in class we have used a battery to see if it works and something else makes light.  Additionally, we use batteries to make a lot of different things work like flashlights, toys, cellphones, etc.  When ever you use a battery though you need a complete circuit and the battery may need to be charged.

Stored Energy in Wood
For wood, I don’t really know much about it storing energy.  When I do think about it, the main thing that comes to mind is fire.  I know that wood must have some sort of energy stored inside of it because if we put fire to it, it will burn until it is “gone”.  This is true in that all wood will burn so it must have some energy.  Wood also can turn red and therefore give off head and light which means me feel like it is a resistor.  In order to trigger the energy in wood to be released then I suppose it is just when you set it on fire or rub two sticks together would then release the energy.