A spring with spring constant 21 N/m is stretched 0.35 m in the positive x direction, referring to the figure. What is the spring’s restoring force (with its sign)?
-kX is the answer
k = 21 N/m
X = 0.35 m
7.35
To find the spring's restoring force, we can use Hooke's Law, which states that the force exerted by a spring is directly proportional to the displacement from its equilibrium position. The formula for Hooke's Law is:
F = -k * x
Where:
F is the restoring force exerted by the spring
k is the spring constant
x is the displacement from the equilibrium position
In this case, we are given the spring constant (k = 21 N/m) and the displacement (x = 0.35 m). By substituting these values into the formula, we can find the restoring force:
F = -21 N/m * 0.35 m
F = -7.35 N
The negative sign indicates that the restoring force is in the opposite direction of the displacement, which in this case is the negative x direction. Therefore, the spring's restoring force is -7.35 N.