How Does the Rubber Motor Work (in terms of energy transfer)?
When you crank the winder, mechanical energy is converted to potential energy stored in the rubber. To be more precise, this is elastic potential energy. Harcourts Dictionary defines elastic potential energy as “the energy made available for use by the return of an elastic body to its original configuration.” Potential energy of the wound rubber is converted to kinetic energy of the spinning propeller. Harcourts Dictionary defines kinetic energy as “the energy inherent in the motion of a body” Rubber has a property known as “elasticity”, it will return to normal configuration. Winding the rubber motor stretches the rubber and because it has elasticity it will turn the propeller as it unwinds. With continued stretching the rubber does not contract as much, the rubber becomes thinner and longer over continued winding. If the rubber is wound to near maximum turns flight after flight, performance of the rubber will suffer. Not using the rubber for a period of time will allow it to recover
