The Spring Launcher

Explore energy conversion with springs, mass, and friction.

Elastic Potential Energy

When you do work to compress a spring, that energy isn't lost—it's stored as Elastic Potential Energy ($PE_s = \frac{1}{2}kx^2$). Upon release, the spring does work back on the block, converting the stored potential energy into Kinetic Energy ($KE = \frac{1}{2}mv^2$), the energy of motion.

The Interaction

Click and drag the block to the left to compress the spring.
Notice the Potential Energy bar grow as you store energy.
Release the mouse to launch the block!
Use the Reset button to try a new configuration.

Controls

Spring Stiffness (k): 100 N/m

Block Mass (m): 5 kg

Friction Coeff. (μ): 0.10

What's Happening?

Click and drag the block to store energy.

Live Energy Conversion

Elastic PE ($PE_s = \frac{1}{2}kx^2$): 0 J

Kinetic Energy ($KE = \frac{1}{2}mv^2$): 0 J

Energy Lost (Friction): 0 J