Introduction and Theory The energy that an object has due to its motion is called kinetic energy and is defined as K = Z In v2 (1) where m is the object’s mass and visits speed. An object will also have gravitational potential energy depending upon its location relative to a reference point. Near the surface of the Earth this can be written as U = m g y (2) where g is the acceleration due to gravity and y is the vertical position of the object relative to an arbitrary reference point. Another form of potential energy is elastic energy contained in a deformed elastic object such as a stretched (or compressed) spring. Mathematically this kind of energy can be expressed as Usp = % kxz (3) where k is the spring constant and X is the distance the spring is stretched. The total mechanical energy of an object is defined as the sum of kinetic energy and any potential energy associated with that object: E = K + U + USp (4) When there is no energy input or energy lost from a system its total mechanical energy will remain constant. In everyday life this law of conservation of energy is most easily observed by transformation of potential energy “ either gravitational or that of a loaded spring “ into kinetic energy of a moving body. Likewise, a moving object can transform its kinetic energy into potential energy by climbing a slope or stretching/compressing a spring. Objective