Is a spring force seprable?

[JJfortherear]

Main Question or Discussion Point

If you've got a spring, one end pinned up the y axis, and a particle constrained to move along the x axis, but attatched to the other end of the spring, does it have any idea how far up the y axis the spring is fixed?

 

[Curl]

yes, you can tell from the magnitude of the force in the x direction, assuming you know the spring stiffness.