Work Done & Springs — GCSE Physics Revision
Revise Work Done & Springs for GCSE Physics. Step-by-step explanation, worked examples, common mistakes and exam-style practice aligned to AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC, Eduqas, CCEA, Cambridge International (CIE), SQA, IB, AP.
At a glance
- What StudyVector is
- An exam-practice platform with board-aligned questions, explanations, and adaptive next steps.
- This topic
- Work Done & Springs in GCSE Physics: explanation, examples, and practice links on this page.
- Who it’s for
- Students revising GCSE Physics for UK exams.
- Exam boards
- Practice is aligned to major specifications (AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC, Eduqas, CCEA, Cambridge International (CIE), SQA, IB, AP).
- Free plan
- Sign up free to use tutor paths and feedback on your answers. Free access is 3 days uncapped, then 30 min practice/day. Pricing
- What makes it different
- Syllabus-shaped practice and progress tracking—not generic AI answers.
Topic has curated content entry with explanation, mistakes, and worked example. [auto-gate:promote; score=70.6]
Recommended next topic
Next step: Scalars & Vectors
Continue in the same course — structured practice and explanations on StudyVector.
Go to Scalars & VectorsWhat is Work Done & Springs?
When you stretch or compress a spring, you are doing work against the elastic forces and storing elastic potential energy in it. The work done in stretching a spring is equal to the area under the force-extension graph. For a spring that obeys Hooke's Law, this energy can be calculated using the formula Ee = ½ke², where k is the spring constant and e is the extension.
Board notes: A Higher Tier topic for all major GCSE Physics boards (AQA, Edexcel, OCR).
Step-by-step explanationWorked example
A spring with a spring constant of 50 N/m is stretched by 20 cm. How much elastic potential energy is stored? Solution: First, convert extension to metres: 20 cm = 0.2 m. Then, use the formula Ee = ½ke². Ee = 0.5 x 50 N/m x (0.2 m)² = 0.5 x 50 x 0.04 = 1 J.
Practise this topic
Jump into adaptive, exam-style questions for Work Done & Springs. Free to start; sign in to save progress.
Common mistakes
- 1Using the formula F=ke to calculate the work done. This formula gives the force, not the energy stored.
- 2Forgetting to use the average force when calculating work done (Work = average force x distance). For a spring, the average force is ½Fe.
- 3Forgetting to square the extension in the energy formula (Ee = ½ke²).
Work Done & Springs exam questions
Exam-style questions for Work Done & Springs with mark-scheme style solutions and timing practice. Aligned to AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC, Eduqas, CCEA, Cambridge International (CIE), SQA, IB, AP specifications.
Work Done & Springs exam questionsGet help with Work Done & Springs
Get a personalised explanation for Work Done & Springs from the StudyVector tutor. Ask follow-up questions and work through problems with step-by-step support.
Open tutorFree full access to Work Done & Springs
Sign up in 30 seconds to unlock step-by-step explanations, exam-style practice, instant feedback and on-demand coaching — completely free, no card required.
Try a practice question
Unlock Work Done & Springs practice questions
Get instant feedback, step-by-step help and exam-style practice — free, no card needed.
Start Free — No Card NeededAlready have an account? Log in
Step-by-step method
Step-by-step explanation
4 steps · Worked method for Work Done & Springs
Core concept
When you stretch or compress a spring, you are doing work against the elastic forces and storing elastic potential energy in it. The work done in stretching a spring is equal to the area under the for…
Frequently asked questions
What is elastic potential energy?
Elastic potential energy is the energy stored in an elastic object when it is stretched or compressed. This energy is released when the object returns to its original shape.
How is work done related to elastic potential energy?
The work done to stretch or compress a spring is stored as elastic potential energy in the spring, assuming the elastic limit is not exceeded.