Hooke's Law

Front

What is Hooke's Law?

Back

Hooke's Law states that the force exerted by a spring is directly proportional to the amount it is stretched or compressed, as long as the elastic limit is not exceeded.

Front

What happens to a material when it reaches its elastic limit?

Back

When a material reaches its elastic limit, it can no longer return to its original shape after the applied force is removed, leading to permanent deformation.

Front

How do you calculate the spring constant (k) using Hooke's Law?

Back

The spring constant (k) can be calculated using the formula k = F/x, where F is the force applied to the spring and x is the displacement from its original length.

Front

What is the unit of spring constant?

Back

The unit of spring constant is Newtons per meter (N/m).

Front

If a spring is stretched by 10 cm with a force of 20 N, what is the spring constant?

Back

The spring constant k = F/x = 20 N / 0.1 m = 200 N/m.

Front

What is the relationship between force and displacement in Hooke's Law?

Back

The relationship is linear; as the force increases, the displacement increases proportionally until the elastic limit is reached.

Front

What is the significance of the spring constant in practical applications?

Back

The spring constant indicates how stiff or flexible a spring is; a higher spring constant means a stiffer spring.

Front

What is the formula for calculating the potential energy stored in a spring?

Back

The potential energy (PE) stored in a spring is given by the formula PE = 1/2 k x^2, where k is the spring constant and x is the displacement.

Front

What does it mean for a spring to be 'stiff'?

Back

A stiff spring requires a large amount of force to produce a small amount of displacement.

Front

How can you determine which spring is the stiffest among several options?

Back

The stiffest spring is the one that requires the greatest force to achieve the same displacement compared to others.