Hooke's Law Direction of Force

In summary, the question is about the equation for a mass attached to a spring and being displaced. The total force is the sum of the force from the spring and the force from the displaced mass. The equation is M2 times the second derivative of the displacement of the mass z2, plus K2 times the difference between the second derivatives of the displacements of z2 and z1, and it is set equal to 0. The question is why the plus sign is used instead of a minus sign, as it seems like the restoring force of the spring should equal the force of the mass when it is at rest.
  • #1
thomas49th
655
0

Homework Statement


Hi I know for Hooke's Law F=-kx where -ve sign implies a restoring force back to equilibrium in the opposite direction of x.

My question is:
I have a mass being displaced attached to a spring - consider M2 and z2(t) and K2 in the link below http://gyazo.com/dfba23fbc16916940c25a02b1d96566e

So as z2 move downwards (in the image) the spring stretches and a the restoring force acts upwards. The total force is going to be the force from the spring plus the force from the displaced mass, which is

[tex]M_{2}\ddot{z_{2}} - K_{2}(\ddot{z_{2}} - \ddot{z_{1}}) = 0[/tex]
note the -ve sign infront of the k2.

but why do we write a PLUS instead?

[tex]M_{2}\ddot{z_{2}} + K_{2}(\ddot{z_{2}} - \ddot{z_{1}})) = 0[/tex]
(see answers below)

So, basically why do we not write

[tex]M_{2}\ddot{z_{2}} - K_{2}(\ddot{z_{2}} - \ddot{z_{1}})) = 0[/tex]

as doesn't that make more sense. Because then the force of the spring restoration force equals the mass force, which is when the mass is at rest.The answers
http://gyazo.com/80ef4fc8e73dd510bd8c6489758471e7
 
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  • #2
come on someone surely must know, it's just a matter of signs
 

1. What is Hooke's Law?

Hooke's Law is a principle in physics that relates the force applied to an object to the resulting displacement or deformation of the object. It states that the force applied to an object is directly proportional to the amount of stretch or compression of the object.

2. Who discovered Hooke's Law?

Hooke's Law was discovered by English scientist Robert Hooke in the 17th century. He first observed this relationship between force and displacement while studying the behavior of springs.

3. What is the direction of force in Hooke's Law?

In Hooke's Law, the direction of force is always in the opposite direction of the displacement or deformation of the object. This means that when the object is stretched, the force is pulling in the opposite direction, and when the object is compressed, the force is pushing in the opposite direction.

4. How is Hooke's Law used in real-life applications?

Hooke's Law is used in many real-life applications, such as in the design of springs, shock absorbers, and elastic materials. It is also used in engineering and construction, as it helps determine the strength and stability of structures under different forces.

5. What are the limitations of Hooke's Law?

Hooke's Law is only applicable to objects that exhibit elastic behavior, meaning they return to their original shape once the force is removed. It also assumes that the force and displacement are linearly related, which may not always be the case in real-life situations.

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