If a long spring with spring constant k is cut into 4 equal lengths,what is the spring constant of each of the 4 shorter springs?
A)It is still k.
B)It is k/4.
C)It is 4k.
D)It is k/16.
E)It is k + 4.

Question

If a long spring with spring constant k is cut into 4 equal lengths,what is the spring constant of each of the 4 shorter springs?​
A)It is still k.
B)It is k/4.
C)It is 4k.
D)It is k/16.
E)​It is k + 4.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When a spring is cut into shorter lengths, the spring constant of each piece increases because the spring becomes stiffer. The spring constant, k, is inversely proportional to the length of the spring. Cutting a spring into 4 equal parts makes each part 4 times stiffer, so the spring constant of each shorter spring is 4k.

If a Long Spring with Spring Constant K Is Cut