Question 1: What is Hooke's Law, and how does it describe the behavior of a spring?

Answer: Hooke's Law states that the force exerted by a spring is directly proportional to its extension or compression, expressed as F = kx, where F is the force, k is the spring constant, and x is the displacement from equilibrium.

Question 2: Explain what the spring constant (k) represents in Hooke's Law.

Answer: The spring constant (k) indicates the stiffness of the spring; a larger value means the spring is stiffer and requires more force to extend or compress.

Question 1: A spring with a spring constant of 150 N/m is stretched by 0.02 meters. Calculate the force exerted by the spring.

Answer: F = kx = 150 N/m * 0.02 m = 3 N

Question 2: If a force of 20 N stretches a spring by 0.1 meters, what is the spring constant (k)?

Answer: k = F / x = 20 N / 0.1 m = 200 N/m

Question 1: Describe an experiment to determine the spring constant of a spring. Include the variables you would measure and safety precautions to consider.

Answer: To determine the spring constant, hang known masses from the spring and measure the extension each mass causes. Measure the force (weight = mass × gravity) and the extension for each trial. Plot force versus extension to find the slope, which is the spring constant. Safety precautions include ensuring the spring is securely attached, not exceeding its elastic limit, and wearing safety goggles to protect against potential snapping during testing.

Question 1: A spring was tested with various weights, and the following data was recorded: - 1 N causes 0.005 m extension - 3 N causes 0.015 m extension - 5 N causes 0.025 m extension Based on this data, what is the spring constant? Show your calculations.

Answer: Using F = kx, k = F / x. For 1 N: k = 1 N / 0.005 m = 200 N/m. Similarly, for 3 N: k = 3 N / 0.015 m = 200 N/m. For 5 N: k = 5 N / 0.025 m = 200 N/m. The consistent value indicates the spring constant is 200 N/m.

Question 1: A spring with a spring constant of 250 N/m is compressed by 0.03 meters. What is the amount of force exerted by the spring? Show your work.

Answer: F = kx = 250 N/m * 0.03 m = 7.5 N

Question 2: Explain how the spring constant affects the deformation of different springs when the same force is applied.

Answer: A larger spring constant means the spring is stiffer and will deform less under a given force. Conversely, a spring with a smaller spring constant will stretch or compress more when the same force is applied. Therefore, the spring constant determines the elasticity and stiffness of the spring.

Question 1: Provide an example of a device or situation where Hooke's Law is used to ensure safety or functionality. Explain briefly.

Answer: Car suspension systems use springs that obey Hooke's Law. The springs absorb shocks from the road, protecting passengers and maintaining vehicle stability by deforming in proportion to the force applied, ensuring a smooth ride.