Question

in hookes law, ( f_{\text{spring}} = kdelta x ), what does the ( k ) stand for?
○ the constant of gravity
○ the distance the spring stretches
○ the elastic constant, a number that tells the relative strength of the spring
○ the amount of force acting on the spring

Explanation:

Hooke's law, \(F_{spring}=k\Delta x\), describes the force exerted by a spring. Here, \(F_{spring}\) is the force exerted by the spring, \(\Delta x\) is the displacement (stretch or compression) of the spring from its equilibrium position. The constant \(k\) is a property of the spring.

• The constant of gravity (\(g\approx9.8\ m/s^{2}\) on Earth) is a different physical constant and not related to Hooke's law in this context.
• The distance the spring stretches is \(\Delta x\) in the formula \(F_{spring}=k\Delta x\).
• The amount of force acting on the spring is \(F_{spring}\) in the formula.
• The elastic constant \(k\) (also called the spring constant) tells us about the relative strength of the spring. A larger \(k\) means a stiffer spring (more force is required to stretch or compress it by a given amount \(\Delta x\)).

Answer:

the elastic constant, a number that tells the relative strength of the spring