Ever wondered how your phone's battery stores energy or why...
Physics278 views·Updated 1 Jul 2026·3 pagesComprehensive Mind Maps for Forces & Energy Changes in Physics
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1
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Work Done and Forces
Work happens whenever you apply a force to move something - whether it's pushing a trolley or lifting a book. The key thing to remember is that both force AND movement must occur for work to be done.
Forces come in two main types that affect our daily lives. Contact forces occur when surfaces touch, like friction when you rub your hands together. Non-contact forces work from a distance - think about how magnets attract metal or how gravity pulls objects downward.
Weight and mass often confuse students, but they're quite different. Your mass (measured in kg) stays the same whether you're on Earth or the Moon - it's simply how much matter you contain. Your weight (measured in Newtons) is actually a force created by gravity pulling on your mass.
💡 Quick Check: Your mass is 60kg everywhere in the universe, but your weight changes depending on the planet you're on!
The formula W = mg helps you calculate weight, where 'g' represents Earth's gravitational field strength (approximately 10 N/kg). Gravitational potential energy (GPE) stores energy in objects based on their height - this explains why a book on a high shelf has more stored energy than one on the floor.
2
of 3
Energy in Springs
Springs store energy in a completely different way from objects at height. When you compress or stretch a spring, you're storing elastic potential energy that wants to spring back to its original shape.
The formula EPE = ½ke² calculates this stored energy. Here, 'k' represents the spring constant - essentially how stiff your spring is. A large spring constant means you've got a really stiff spring that's hard to stretch, whilst a small spring constant indicates a soft, easily stretched spring.
Hooke's Law governs how springs behave with the simple relationship F = ke. This means the force needed to stretch a spring is directly proportional to how far you extend it. Double the extension, and you'll need double the force.
💡 Real-world Connection: The spring constant also appears as the gradient on a Hooke's Law graph - the steeper the line, the stiffer the spring!
This relationship holds true until you reach the elastic limit. Push beyond this point, and your spring won't return to its original shape - it becomes permanently deformed.
3
of 3
Hooke's Law in Practice
Understanding elasticity helps explain why some materials bounce back whilst others don't. Elastic materials like springs and rubber bands change shape when forces act on them, then return to their original form when the force disappears.
Deformation occurs in two main ways that you can observe easily. Stretching happens when you pull on something, like extending a rubber band. Compressing occurs when you squash materials together, such as pressing down on a sponge.
The beauty of Hooke's Law lies in its predictability - until you reach that crucial elastic limit. Below this point, doubling the force will exactly double the extension. This direct proportional relationship makes spring behaviour highly predictable and useful in engineering.
💡 Exam Tip: Remember that Hooke's Law only works within the elastic limit - beyond this point, the spring won't return to its original length!
This principle explains countless everyday objects, from car suspension systems to measuring scales. The spring constant essentially tells you the 'personality' of your spring - whether it's going to be easy to stretch or put up a fight!
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Physics278 views·Updated 1 Jul 2026·3 pagesComprehensive Mind Maps for Forces & Energy Changes in Physics
Ever wondered how your phone's battery stores energy or why trampolines bounce you back up? Physics explains these everyday phenomena through work, forces, and energy changes. Understanding these concepts will help you make sense of everything from lifting your backpack...
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Work Done and Forces
Work happens whenever you apply a force to move something - whether it's pushing a trolley or lifting a book. The key thing to remember is that both force AND movement must occur for work to be done.
Forces come in two main types that affect our daily lives. Contact forces occur when surfaces touch, like friction when you rub your hands together. Non-contact forces work from a distance - think about how magnets attract metal or how gravity pulls objects downward.
Weight and mass often confuse students, but they're quite different. Your mass (measured in kg) stays the same whether you're on Earth or the Moon - it's simply how much matter you contain. Your weight (measured in Newtons) is actually a force created by gravity pulling on your mass.
💡 Quick Check: Your mass is 60kg everywhere in the universe, but your weight changes depending on the planet you're on!
The formula W = mg helps you calculate weight, where 'g' represents Earth's gravitational field strength (approximately 10 N/kg). Gravitational potential energy (GPE) stores energy in objects based on their height - this explains why a book on a high shelf has more stored energy than one on the floor.
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Energy in Springs
Springs store energy in a completely different way from objects at height. When you compress or stretch a spring, you're storing elastic potential energy that wants to spring back to its original shape.
The formula EPE = ½ke² calculates this stored energy. Here, 'k' represents the spring constant - essentially how stiff your spring is. A large spring constant means you've got a really stiff spring that's hard to stretch, whilst a small spring constant indicates a soft, easily stretched spring.
Hooke's Law governs how springs behave with the simple relationship F = ke. This means the force needed to stretch a spring is directly proportional to how far you extend it. Double the extension, and you'll need double the force.
💡 Real-world Connection: The spring constant also appears as the gradient on a Hooke's Law graph - the steeper the line, the stiffer the spring!
This relationship holds true until you reach the elastic limit. Push beyond this point, and your spring won't return to its original shape - it becomes permanently deformed.
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of 3Sign up to see the content. It's free!
- Access to all documents
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Hooke's Law in Practice
Understanding elasticity helps explain why some materials bounce back whilst others don't. Elastic materials like springs and rubber bands change shape when forces act on them, then return to their original form when the force disappears.
Deformation occurs in two main ways that you can observe easily. Stretching happens when you pull on something, like extending a rubber band. Compressing occurs when you squash materials together, such as pressing down on a sponge.
The beauty of Hooke's Law lies in its predictability - until you reach that crucial elastic limit. Below this point, doubling the force will exactly double the extension. This direct proportional relationship makes spring behaviour highly predictable and useful in engineering.
💡 Exam Tip: Remember that Hooke's Law only works within the elastic limit - beyond this point, the spring won't return to its original length!
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Students love us — and so will you.
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