Can you shed light on this ...

Take one clock spring and wind it up, thereby storing potential energy in the spring.

Drop the spring into a bath of acid that will dissolve the metal of the spring.

Where does the stored energy go

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SooperSarah

It'll unwind in the acid, even if it's just little bits at a time

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sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@ozgirl512 I would argue that it doesn't. As the acid breaks down the molecular bonds between the molecules, the stored energy is released. The amount of that energy depends on the state of the spring, but both springs behave the same.

ozgirl512 · 26-30, F

@sarabee1995 then we're back to my original question lol... If both Springs behave the same, c where did the energy go?🤣

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@ozgirl512 The released potential energy is converted to heat energy, sound energy, and kinetic energy just as discussed.

Abstraction · 61-69, M

I saw your comment about protecting the wound spring and introducing acid through the hole. We look at the stored energy as being in the spring as an object. In fact it's actually in the molecular bonds in a form of compression which means the particles are bumping against each other. Even if you glued the spring in place with an acid resistant glue so it cannot unwind, as the molecules chemically react and are freed that higher level of bumping of particles that wants to resolve will be expressed in the chemical reaction. It will result in more heat.
The only reason a spring acts as it does is the bonds that hold the metal together in a particular shape will direct that energy in a certain way. By constraining the spring it will be released into the acid.

KiwiBird · 36-40, F

It unwinds and one o'clock goes back to 12 o'clock as negative energy.

ozgirl512 · 26-30, F

@KiwiBird i must admit i hadn't considered that🤣

Northwest · M

Where does the stored energy go

Into the acid bath. This is an Exothermic process, which will produce ripples into the acid bath, so you're not going to notice the additional ripples produced by the energy released by the wound up spring.

TheOrionbeltseeker · 36-40, M

Buffer Zone absorption

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TheOrionbeltseeker · 36-40, M

@ozgirl512 There, in your question, potential energy is due to winding up of the metal and when you dissolve the metal in any acid, the potential energy will never get a chance to turn into kinetic energy and once the main metal is wasted, energy would and must dissipate.

Another example - Dam water when stored has alot of potential energy. Suppose if the whole system of water storage is transferred to some other location and then water is kept in the sun for days and that water gets evaporated. Where would the potential energy of water go?

ozgirl512 · 26-30, F

@TheOrionbeltseeker but it changes into what?

TheOrionbeltseeker · 36-40, M

@ozgirl512 Energy will be available only when the system gets unwind. If it doesn't get unwind, it will make your system inefficient and Energy - output ratio, energy efficiency ratio would be tending towards zero.

SW-User

It will take the path of least resistance, the reaction to the acid would eventually cause this.

jimjim1969 · M

heat

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TjNewton · M

1 Average speed = 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛
=
1600 𝑚
20 𝑥 60 𝑠
= 1.3 m s-1
2 Time = 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑
=
200 𝑚
8.0 𝑚 𝑠−1
= 25 s
3 metres per second, per second; m s
–2
4 Speed is a scalar quantity. It is the distance travelled (in any direction) divided by the time taken. Velocity is
a vector quantity. It is the distance travelled in a specific direction divided by the time taken.

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