Re: Elastic potential energy (repeat)

["RAUBER, JOEL" <JOEL_RAUBER@SDSTATE.EDU>]

Bob Sciamanda wrote in reply:


> > If I'm not mistaken, there is a minus sign error,
> > I get for (1dim motion along x axis, F=-k(x-xo);
>
> This is only true if the spring is relaxed at x = xo;  ie; xo is not
> arbitrary.

Absolutely!  I had hoped that went without saying, but probably should have
stated it. As many have noted, one should probably not make such unwarranted
assumptions on Phys-L  :-)