I'm doing my Physics homework and I have a quick question, What is elastic energy and how is it different to kinetic energy?

To understand this, let's look into the atomistic scale of a material. Here you have an array of atoms with the material. Each of the atoms is connected with one another through intramolecular forces (such as ionic bonds and covalent bonds). Now if you stretch the material by applying a uniaxial tensile force, this will stretch the bonds within the material. As a result, some form of energy is sto... more