Originally Posted By: Bill S.
Surely there is a difference. If the spring is under tension or compression, the molecules re-adjust in response to the "work" being done to maintain that position. without compression or tension, the energy leaks away, more slowly, as a result of natural deterioration of the metal.


I don't quite understand you, but you seem to be saying leaking potential energy is necessary to apply a force.

If it was necessary, surely some specific rate of energy loss would be required for a particular force. Yet different springs last different lengths of time. We can design springs to have arbitrarily long lives but all applying the same force.