Displacement and the Spring Force (Fs) - 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 extension or compression of the spring, provided the elastic limit is not exceeded. It is mathematically expressed as F = kx, where F is the force, k is the spring constant, and x is the extension.

Front

What is the spring constant (k)?

Back

The spring constant (k) is a measure of a spring's stiffness. It is defined as the force required to extend or compress the spring by a unit distance. The unit of spring constant is N/m.

Front

How do you determine which spring has a greater spring constant when comparing two springs with the same mass?

Back

The spring that extends less when the same mass is hung on it has a greater spring constant. This is because a stiffer spring (higher k) will not stretch as much under the same load.

Front

If a spring has a spring constant of 500 N/m, what force is needed to extend it by 2 m?

Back

Using Hooke's Law, F = kx = 500 N/m * 2 m = 1000 N.

Front

What is the unit of force?

Back

The unit of force is Newton (N).

Front

What is the extension of a spring if its original length is 20 m and its extended length is 30 m?

Back

The extension is 10 m (30 m - 20 m).

Front

If a spring is extended by 1 m and the spring constant is 200 N/m, what is the force applied?

Back

Using Hooke's Law, F = kx = 200 N/m * 1 m = 200 N.

Front

What does a steeper slope on a force vs. extension graph indicate about a spring?

Back

A steeper slope indicates a higher spring constant, meaning the spring is stiffer.

Front

What is the relationship between force and extension in a spring?

Back

The relationship is linear, meaning that as the force increases, the extension increases proportionally, as long as the elastic limit is not exceeded.

Front

What happens to a spring if it is stretched beyond its elastic limit?

Back

If a spring is stretched beyond its elastic limit, it will not return to its original length and may become permanently deformed.