Physical Application

We can now apply the concepts that have been covered earlier to further explain how they come together to create what we see happening on the trampoline. To start out, we must explain that energy in any system can neither be created nor destroyed, therefore, energy in a system must be conserved. E = PE + KE + Q. Q being internal forces that are most of the time negligible and unaccounted for. In this case of a trampoline, we must also include Hooke's law in for finding the spring forces in the trampoline as we descend onto it. We first start out by bouncing up from our original equilibrium state and then transferring energy throughout the system to achieve greater heights. This increase in height is what allows the trampoline to apply an equal force in the opposite direction to bounce you back up from the height you fell from. During the moments of movement or motion when you're bouncing, this energy is explained through Kinetic energy and take your given body mass and the speed at which you are going. During your highest and lowest points of your jumps, are the points where we can calculate the potential energy. At your highest point, all energy is transferred into stored energy as gravitational potential energy as all the work is being done by gravity attempting to pull you downwards back to equilibrium status. Energy then moves to Kinetic and back to Potential but this time it is elastic potential energy, which is potential energy following the rules of Hooke's law to include a spring force in stored energy. That stored energy is then released as kinetic energy into motion pushing you back up to the given height. The work in the system that allows you to bounce higher and higher is done by you and your legs pushing back on the trampoline to give an added force to the spring force propelling you back up.