What is the relationship between Hooke's law and compression?

In summary, Hooke's Law is a principle in physics discovered by English scientist Robert Hooke in the 17th century. It states that the force exerted by a spring is directly proportional to the distance it is stretched or compressed. It was named after Hooke himself, who first described and formalized the relationship between force and displacement in a spring. Hooke's Law has various applications in engineering, materials science, and biomechanics, but it is an idealized model and may not always hold true in real-life situations.
  • #1
Kamilan
14
0

Homework Statement



I would like to know if Hooke's law applies to compression as well as tension? Meaning if the spring is stretched or compressed is the spring constant the same?

Homework Equations



F = -kx

The Attempt at a Solution

 
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  • #2
Kamilan said:

Homework Statement



I would like to know if Hooke's law applies to compression as well as tension? Meaning if the spring is stretched or compressed is the spring constant the same?

Homework Equations



F = -kx

The Attempt at a Solution


Yes, it works both ways.
 
  • #3
Hello,

thanks for that!
 

1. What is Hooke's Law?

Hooke's Law is a principle in physics that states the force exerted by a spring is directly proportional to the distance it is stretched or compressed. In other words, the more you stretch or compress a spring, the greater the force it exerts.

2. Who discovered Hooke's Law?

Hooke's Law was first described by English scientist Robert Hooke in the 17th century. He observed the relationship between the force and displacement of a spring and formalized it into a mathematical equation.

3. Why is it called Hooke's Law?

As mentioned, Hooke's Law was discovered by Robert Hooke. He named it after himself as he was the first to accurately describe and quantify the relationship between force and displacement in a spring.

4. What are the applications of Hooke's Law?

Hooke's Law is used in many fields, such as engineering, materials science, and biomechanics. It helps in designing and analyzing structures and devices that involve springs, such as shock absorbers, suspension systems, and even some medical devices.

5. Is Hooke's Law always accurate?

No, Hooke's Law is an idealized model and does not always hold true in real-life situations. It assumes that the material of the spring is perfectly elastic and that the force applied is within the elastic limit of the spring. In reality, materials can exhibit plastic deformation and springs can break if too much force is applied.

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