Force & Extension - Springs
Science Practicals: GCSE, topic 3.1.8
Hooke's Law - Extending Springs
A force acting on an object may change its size or shape. For example, squashing or twisting an object can change its shape.
Hooke's Law
- When a spring is stretched, the increase in the length of the spring is called its “extension”.
- Hooke’s Law tells us that the extension of a spring is directly proportional to the force applied to the spring: force = spring constant x extension.
Limit of proportionality
- Think of the spring constant as the stiffness of the spring. This is different for different objects.
- The higher the spring constant, the “stiffer” the spring and the more force is needed to stretch it.
- The limit of proportionality is the point where Hooke’s law breaks down.
- If a spring is stretched too much, it will not return to its original length when the force stops acting on the spring.
Test yourself on Force & Extension - Springs
In the context of springs, what is extension?
What is the limit of proportionality?
What do you measure when investigating Hooke's Law?
Which of the following statements are true according to Hooke's Law and the Limit of Proportionality?
Which of the following are true about Hooke's law?