Energy Empire: Spring Launcher

Kinetic KGravitational PE_gSpring PE_sInternal (friction heat)Tip: drag the crate left to pull back!

Spring k (N/m)

Compression x (m)

Crate mass m (kg)

Friction μ

Ramp angle (°)

PREDICT peak height (m):

How this connects to AP Physics 1 (Topics 3.3 and 3.4): the spring stores PE_s = ½kx². On the ramp the crate turns that energy into gravitational potential energy mgh, and any friction turns some of it into internal energy (E_dis = f·d). Watch the four-color energy bar: the total never changes, but the colors do.