What is Spring compression: Definition and 95 Discussions

A spring is an elastic object that stores mechanical energy. Springs are typically made of spring steel. There are many spring designs. In everyday use, the term often refers to coil springs.
When a conventional spring, without stiffness variability features, is compressed or stretched from its resting position, it exerts an opposing force approximately proportional to its change in length (this approximation breaks down for larger deflections). The rate or spring constant of a spring is the change in the force it exerts, divided by the change in deflection of the spring. That is, it is the gradient of the force versus deflection curve. An extension or compression spring's rate is expressed in units of force divided by distance, for example or N/m or lbf/in. A torsion spring is a spring that works by twisting; when it is twisted about its axis by an angle, it produces a torque proportional to the angle. A torsion spring's rate is in units of torque divided by angle, such as N·m/rad or ft·lbf/degree. The inverse of spring rate is compliance, that is: if a spring has a rate of 10 N/mm, it has a compliance of 0.1 mm/N. The stiffness (or rate) of springs in parallel is additive, as is the compliance of springs in series.
Springs are made from a variety of elastic materials, the most common being spring steel. Small springs can be wound from pre-hardened stock, while larger ones are made from annealed steel and hardened after fabrication. Some non-ferrous metals are also used including phosphor bronze and titanium for parts requiring corrosion resistance and beryllium copper for springs carrying electrical current (because of its low electrical resistance).

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  1. M

    Variable pitch spring calculations

    Hi, does anyone know how to calculate the current spring constant of a variable pitch spring when under compression. Since some of its coils get inactive when compressed the stiffness is increasing and consequently “k” is changing as well, is there an equation I can use to calculate the new...
  2. dge

    Spring compression -- Ball colliding with a spring-mounted platform

    I've tried establishing a systems of equations with -(1/2)kx^2+mpgx+(1/2)mpvp^2=0, but this leads to an annoying quadratic that when solved does not give one of the listed answers. My thought was that the spring's potential energy is going to be equal to the gravitational potential energy and...
  3. dge

    How can I calculate the potential energy stored in a compressed spring?

    I feel like I've gotten stuck on this. I know the work done is equal to the kinetic energy of block A, but I can't figure out how I would find the potential energy stored in the spring without using the spring constant in the equation. W = FA * dA + U
  4. Ammar2211

    A block of mass m is dropped onto the top of a vertical spring....

    Summary:: A block of mass m is dropped onto the top of a vertical spring whose force constant is k. If the block is released from a height h above the top of the spring, a) what is the maximum energy of the block? b) What is the maximum compression of the spring? c) At what compression is the...
  5. O

    What's the importance of a spring force constant of 1634N/m?

    Hi I'm new here and I've checked everywhere on google but I can't seem to find a website that'll tell me the spring force constant of items. Also what things would be in the range of a spring force constant of 163.427 N/m/
  6. A

    Calculating spring constant of a spring loaded cannon

    Homework Statement if you wanted to build a spring launched cannon that will shoot you over a building that is 35 m high and 30 m wide, and the cannon is being shot at 60 degrees. If the cannon can be no more than 2 m long, what spring constant do you need in the spring to make this work? here...
  7. navneet9431

    B Will Block M2 Move Left? Understanding Forces in a Connected Spring System"

    Suppose two blocks m1 and m2,connected by a spring are kept on a frictionless surface and the block m1 is applied an external force F. My teacher taught me that in a spring the force is generated in the direction opposite to the displacement of the spring. So the spring would generate a force...
  8. E

    How Much Does the Spring Compress When a Man Jumps on a Scale?

    Homework Statement As a 75.0 kg man steps onto a scale, the spring inside the scale compresses by 0.65 mm. Excited to see that he has lost 2.5 kg since his last weighing, he jumps 0.3 m straight up into the air and lands directly on the scale. What is the spring’s maximum compression? What...
  9. C

    Conservation of Energy: Spring pushing a block up an incline

    Homework Statement "Consider a 250 gram block on a 10 degree frictionless incline and in contact with a spring of constant 1.2 N/cm. If the block is launched from rest by the spring with an initial compression of 6cm, how fast is the block moving at the point of release from the spring? How...
  10. T

    Quadratic equation for maximum compression of a spring

    Homework Statement A 1.2 kg block is dropped from a height of 0.5 m above an uncompressed spring. The spring has a spring constant k = 160 N/m and negligible mass. The block strikes the top end of the spring and sticks to it Find the compression of the spring when the speed of the block...
  11. T

    Understanding the force on an item placed on a spring

    I hope you enjoy the image I made to facilitate my query. I wanted to add Thor as my force input but don't want any copyright infringement.. If I have a compression spring with a spring rate of K, on a fixed surface with an apple on top and a hammer... If hammer applies force N, what does the...
  12. R

    Spring deflection load calculation for excavator

    1. A hydraulic cylinder equipped with a helical coil compression spring(figure is attached). The oil pressure acts the spring and moves the boom from position 1 to position 2. Maximum boom load in position 1 F1max= 16550N Minimum boom load in position 2 F2min = 18550N cylinder load...
  13. Deadawake

    Bullet & Spring compression

    Hi, Please see the attach picture. I solved 3 quetions regarding this problem and I struggle with the 4th one. What I found was that the initial velocity after the collision is 1.98 m/s (Edit: 0.2m/s), and the maximum compression of the spring with no friction beneath is 0.44m (Edit: 0.044m) (I...
  14. Nacho Verdugo

    Mass sliding on frictionless inclined plane compresses a spring

    Homework Statement A body with mass m start from repose and slide along a plane without friction. The plane forms an angle with the horizontal. After sliding a distance d unknown, the mass touches the extremity of a spring non compressed and non stretched with no mass. The mass slides a...
  15. N

    Finding Initial Block Position and Maximum Speed of Oscillation

    1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known On a very smooth horizontal table, a block of mass m=0.75 kg is attached to an ideal spring with a spring constant k= 242 N/m. The origin of the horizontal coordinate (x=0) is set at the equilibrium position of the block. The block is...
  16. I

    Help with spring stiffness calculation (k)

    Hi I was given the following problem in my coursework: Homework Statement "A spring is initially compressed by 50mm when a steel ball of mass 2kg is released from just being in contact with the uncompressed spring. Determine the spring stiffness (k) of the spring." Homework Equations F = mg...
  17. R

    Maximum speed of a cylinder dropped on a spring

    Homework Statement Cylinder A (mass = 5kg) is released from rest at a height h =100mm above a spring of stiffness k = 1.8 kN/m. Determine, (i) the maximum compression of the spring, (ii) the spring deflection when the cylinder’s velocity is a maximum, and, (iii) the maximum velocity of the...
  18. Kloud

    Spring compression after bullet passes through block

    Homework Statement Its in the screenshot i took. I need someone to walk me through the process of solving this problem because I do not understand how to get the maximum compression distance x of the spring. I know that the momentum of the billet will= the momentum of the block. Homework...
  19. P

    Mass and two springs in series: How to solve acceleration

    Hello! I have rather simple problem, but I can't find somehow answer for it: There are two springs in series, let's say spring 1 and spring 2. Springs are attached and spring 2 is attached to ground. In the beginning springs are not stretched. Let's say springs have spring constants k1 and k2...
  20. N

    What faults I have made in the following mathematical soluti

    I didn't want solution of the following problem. When I was trying to solve the following problem, I found some difficulties that should be solved with the help of this forum. We can consider a substance of 0.5kg. It hits a horizontal spring with a velocity of 4 m/s. As a result spring gets...
  21. R

    Spring Compression: Homework Solutions

    Homework Statement Homework Equations ΔUelastic = 1/2(kxf2) - 1/2(kxi2) ΔK + ΔUg + ΔUelastic = 0 The Attempt at a Solution a) I used ΔUelastic = 1/2(kxf2) - 1/2(kxi2) and found xf - 0.126 m. b) Should I use ΔK + ΔUg + ΔUelastic = 0? I am unsure where to start for this one. How do I go about...
  22. K

    Finding average force and time

    Homework Statement When an 98.0-g piece of toast is inserted into a toaster, the toaster's ejection spring is compressed 7.20 cm. When the toaster ejects the toasted slice, the slice reaches a height of 3.4 cm above it's starting position. What is the average force that the ejection spring...
  23. R

    Spring compression of a bowling ball

    Homework Statement A 5 kg bowling ball moves at 10 m/s on a flat and frictionless surface. It hits a massless bumper with a spring constant of 100 N/cm. How far (in cm) will the spring compress? Homework Equations |F| = |kx| Fnet = ma The Attempt at a Solution This is mostly a plug and chug...
  24. Eva001

    Max Spring Compression and Object Velocity on Frictionless Ramp

    Homework Statement An object of mass m = 2kg is relesed from a height h=5m and left to slide on a frictionless curved ramp. Once it reaches the bottom it slides horizontally from point A to point B, covering a distance L=6m on a surface with kinetic friction coefficient...
  25. L

    Block on a spring on a horizontal surface with friction?

    Homework Statement A 3.0 kg block is held against a spring with a force constant of 125 N/m. The spring is compressed by 12 cm. The ice is released across a horizontal plank with a coefficient of friction of 0.1 A) Calculate the velocity of the block just as it leaves the spring. Assume the...
  26. Elvis 123456789

    Spring/ Kinetic Energy Problem

    Homework Statement At a waterpark, sleds with riders are sent along a slippery, horizontal surface by the release of a large, compressed spring. The spring with a force constant k = 4300 N/m and negligible mass rests on the frictionless horizontal surface. One end is in contact with a...
  27. B

    Understanding why change in Kinetic Energy is 0

    Homework Statement Find the minimum force ##\displaystyle F## required to move ##\displaystyle M_2##.Details and Assumptions: ##\displaystyle M_1 = 3Kg## ##\displaystyle M_2 = 5Kg## ##\displaystyle \mu_1 = 0.4## ##\displaystyle \mu_2 = 0.6## ##\displaystyle g = 9.8m/s^2## Homework...
  28. Noxate

    Elastic Head-On Collision, Spring Compression.

    Homework Statement A 0.60kg cart moving at 5.0m/s[W] collides with a 0.80kg cart moving at 2.0m/s[E]. The collision is cushioned by a spring(k=1200N/m). Homework Equations [W] is Positive PTo=PTf ETo=ETf The Attempt at a Solution PTo=PTf m1v1o+m2v2o=(m1+m2)vf...
  29. H

    Equivalent Spring for a spring connected with a diaphragm

    Hello all, I am trying to find an equivalent spring for a combination of a spring with spring constant k1 & pre-sompression of x1 and a diaphragm of stiffness k2. Refer to the attached figure. Please help me in understanding whether this combination will be in series or in parallel. Thanks
  30. P

    Comparing Spring Compression in Two Trials with Different Release Heights

    Homework Statement Students in a physics class set up an experiment to examine the behavior of springs being compressed under various conditions. In the first trial of the experiment, students released a 1.5 kg block from rest at the top of a ramp. The block slid down the ramp, across a...
  31. A

    What is the magnitude of the spring force given M,K and X

    Homework Statement 1.In a game a .12kg disk is shot across a frictionless surface . The spring is compressed by 6cm. The spring constant is 230 N/m. What is the magnitude of the spring force? 2. A piece of plastic is attached to a spring. The spring is compressed 2cm and the released. If the...
  32. A

    Finding The Compression of a Spring

    Homework Statement "A coil spring has a force constant of k = 4.0 lb/in. When the spring's axis is inclined at an angle 30 degrees from the horizontal, a W = 2.0 oz ball is propelled to a height of 6.0 ft. By how much must the spring have been compressed initially? (1 lb = 16 oz) Homework...
  33. T

    The coefficient of friction by spring compression

    Homework Statement A box has the mas 50.0Kg. The box slides on a horizontal surface that has friction. The box has the velocity 3.00m/s when its 0.600m away from a spring with negligible mass and the force coefficent 20Kn/m. The box hits the spring and comes to a momentary rest after...
  34. A

    Spring Compression at kinetic energy = 0

    Homework Statement An inclined plane of angle θ = 20.0° has a spring of force constant k = 460 N/m fastened securely at the bottom so that the spring is parallel to the surface as shown in the figure below. A block of mass m = 2.51 kg is placed on the plane at a distance d = 0.324 m from the...
  35. T

    Collision of Objects Dropped from Different Heights with Spring Compression

    Homework Statement (a) A block of mass m = 2.00 kg sits on a massless platform supported by a vertical spring with spring constant k = 55.0 N/m. How much is the spring compressed? (b) The block is now lifted off the platform and dropped from a height h = 1.5 m above the platform and...
  36. S

    Linear Relationship b/w Spring Compression and Projectile Distance?

    I have a question about a spring gun. Suppose the barrel of a spring gun is placed horizontally at the edge of a horizontal table. You put say a marble in the barrel and compress the spring x cm and after releasing the marble it travels a horizontal distance of y cm before hitting the floor (so...
  37. N

    Spring compression homework problem

    Homework Statement A 165g plastic block is set up against a spring. The block rests on a smooth (I'm assuming this implies that there is no friction involved) horizontal surface. The block is pushed into the spring, compressing it a distance of 15.0 cm and released. The spring constant is k=...
  38. I

    Max Compression of Spring with Friction

    A child slides a block of mass 2 kg along a slick kitchen floor. If the initial speed is 4m/s and the block hits a spring with spring constant 6 N/m, what is the maximum compression of the spring? What is the result if the block slides across 2m of a rough floor that ha μk = 0.2? (second...
  39. Sneakatone

    Find work from additional spring compression

    The spring used has a spring constant of k= 35000 N/m. a) how much work must you do to compress this spring by 0.10 m from its relaxed condition. U=1/2*k*x^2 .5*35000*(0.1)^2=175 J (correct) b)how much work must you do to compress the spring an additional 0.10 m? I tried the same equation...
  40. T

    Calculating Spring Compression Distance Under Acceleration: Help Needed

    Folks, I am looking to determine how far a compression spring will rebound or decompress as a function of total distance (past its original resting position). Specifically, I'd like to determine this distance under the following conditions: 1) there is an object sitting on...
  41. W

    Maximum spring compression problem

    Homework Statement A 7.0kg box moving at 6.0m/s on a horizontal, frictionless surface runs into a light spring of force constant 50N/cm . What is the maximum compression of the spring? Homework Equations K=1/2mv^2 The Attempt at a Solution K=1/2(7.0)(6)^2 = 126N 126N/(50N/cm)...
  42. L

    Spring Compression problem- PLEASE SOMEONE HELP PLEASE DX<?

    Spring Compression problem!- PLEASE SOMEONE HELP! PLEASE! DX<? Spring Compression problem! A 2.4kg block is dropped onto a free-standing spring with k=1100N/m from a height of 1.7m above the spring. What is the spring's maximum compression? Okay, so I drew a picture of the situation. Frame...
  43. Z

    Momentum and Spring Compression

    I am asked to rate a series of elastic collisions in order greatest time of max compression to least time of max compression for several vehicles with varying masses and velocities, which strike a spring with a spring constant k. I can determine the Momentum of each case, as I am given...
  44. S

    How Does Spring Length Affect Compression Under Hooke's Law?

    Assuming idealized springs under Hooke's Law: A spring 1m in length, mounted on the ground, compresses 10cm under its own weight. Next to it is a spring identical in material, construction, etc., but 2m long with twice the mass. If I understand correctly, doubled weight alone would...
  45. C

    Collision Question dealing with Spring Compression

    Homework Statement Forum! I'm struggling on this one D: any help would be greatly appreciated! An elastic head-on collision, a 0.60kg cart moving 5.0m/s [W] collides with a 0.8-kg cart moving 2.0 m/s[E] The collision is cushioned by a spring (k=1200N/m) **Find the maximum compression...
  46. K

    Total work done on clay during Spring Compression

    Homework Statement A 4.63-kg ball of clay is thrown downward from a height of 2.69 m with a speed of 5.01 m/s onto a spring with k = 1610 N/m. The clay compresses the spring a certain maximum amount before momentarily stopping. b) Find the total work done on the clay during the spring's...
  47. C

    Find the maximum spring compression

    Homework Statement A horizontal spring with k = 71 N/m has one end attached to a wall and the other end free. An 95 g wad of putty is thrown horizontally at 3.7 m/s directly toward the free end. Find the maximum spring compression. Homework Equations W=1/2kx^2 The Attempt at a...
  48. B

    How Does Friction Affect Spring Compression and Energy Loss?

    Homework Statement A horizontal uncompressed spring of constant k= 3 N/m and negligible mass lies on a frictionless floor. The right end of the spring rests against a vertical wall. A block of mass m=0.180 kg with initial velocity v0= 1.0 m/s is incident to the spring from the left. The spring...
  49. P

    Spring compression as a launcher and velocity at a certain point

    Homework Statement A game uses a spring launcher to shoot a puck with mass of 0.5kg along a frictionless track as shown in the diagram. The spring has a k value of 600 N/m. By how much does the spring need to be compressed to launch the puck and have it go around the inside of the loop...
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