Digging Deeper
2. A World of Possibilities
Potential energy isn’t just one thing; it comes in various forms, each based on the specific forces involved. The most common type you’ll hear about is gravitational potential energy, which we touched on with the rollercoaster example. This is all about how high something is and the pull of gravity. The higher it is, the more potential energy it has to fall and do some work (like, say, turning a water wheel).
Another important type is elastic potential energy. This is the kind stored in things that can be stretched or compressed, like springs, rubber bands, and even trampolines! When you stretch a spring, you’re putting energy into it. That energy is stored as elastic potential energy, and it’s ready to be released when you let go. Boing!
Then there’s chemical potential energy. This one’s a bit trickier because it’s stored in the bonds between atoms and molecules. Think of the energy stored in gasoline, food, or even a battery. When those bonds are broken (through combustion, digestion, or a chemical reaction), energy is released. That’s why your car can move, you can run a marathon, and your phone can stay powered all day. Pretty amazing, right?
Finally, we have electric potential energy. This is about the energy stored when electric charges are near each other. Opposite charges attract (like a moth to a flame!), and separating them requires energy. This energy is stored as electric potential energy and can be released when the charges are allowed to come back together. This is how batteries work, more or less. Each flavor of potential energy underscores the “potential” aspect: stored, waiting, ready to be converted.