Class Connection: Rigidity Affects Elastic Energy The stress that your body feels from moving around and jumping is the result of a constant series of energy conversions from kinetic and gravitational energy into elastic energy and back
again. With all of these energy conversions happening it is important to have shock absorbers that can handle the stress. This is especially important in your back, because so much of your
weight is supported there. In between each of your back bones (called vertebrae) are small circular pieces of cartilage called discs. These discs are responsible for distributing the impact that your body feels every time you take a step. With each step, pressure is put on these discs, compressing them and transforming kinetic energy into elastic energy. When the pressure is released, the discs decompress (return to their original shape), and their elastic energy is transformed back into kinetic energy. Do you remember the slow-motion videos you saw in class? Do you remember the ball that got compressed and then decompressed? That is what happens to your discs as you walk. What is amazing is that if you take care of your body, these discs will transform kinetic and gravitational energy into elastic energy and back for most of your life without wearing out. There are very few man- made materials that can be deformed so often without becoming less elastic, losing their ability to return back to their original shape.

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