A 10-kg mass, hung by an ideal spring, causes the spring to stretch 2.0 cm. What is the spring constant (force constant) for this spring?
A) 0.0020 N/cm
B) 0.20 N/cm
C) 5.0 N/cm
D) 49 N/cm
E) 20 N/cm

Question

A 10-kg mass, hung by an ideal spring, causes the spring to stretch 2.0 cm. What is the spring constant (force constant) for this spring?
A)  0.0020 N/cm
B)  0.20 N/cm
C)  5.0 N/cm
D)  49 N/cm
E)  20 N/cm

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The spring constant k can be found using Hooke's Law, F = kx. The force F is the weight of the mass, which is mg = 10 kg * 9.8 m/s² = 98 N. The displacement x is 2.0 cm, which is 0.02 m. Solving for k gives k = F/x = 98 N / 0.02 m = 4900 N/m, which is 49 N/cm.

A 10-Kg Mass, Hung by an Ideal Spring, Causes the Spring