What type of energy store is present in anything that is stretched?

In any object that is stretched, such as a rubber band or a spring, the energy stored in the object is known as elastic potential energy. This type of energy store is specifically related to the deformation of materials, where the object can return to its original shape after being stretched or compressed. The energy is stored when the object is deformed and is released when the object returns to its normal shape.

This understanding of elastic potential energy is particularly important in various applications, such as in the mechanics of springs, the design of toys, and even in natural phenomena like the functioning of muscles. The other energy stores mentioned have distinct characteristics: gravitational potential energy relates to an object's height and mass within a gravitational field, kinetic energy is the energy an object has due to its motion, and chemical energy is associated with the bonds between atoms within molecules. Each of these types serves different purposes and is applicable in different contexts, but elastic potential energy is the only store relevant to objects that are stretched.