When the rubber band in a slingshot is stretched, it obeys Hooke's law. Suppose that the "spring constant" for the rubber band is k = 53 N/m. When the rubber band is pulled back with a force of 7.3 N, how far does it stretch?
F=kx solve for x.
F=kx
x=F/k
7.3/53= .138
To solve for x, we can rearrange Hooke's law equation:
F = k * x
where:
F = force applied (in newtons)
k = spring constant (in newtons per meter)
x = displacement or amount of stretch (in meters)
In this case, we have:
F = 7.3 N (given)
k = 53 N/m (given)
Substituting the given values into the equation, we have:
7.3 N = 53 N/m * x
To solve for x, we divide both sides of the equation by 53 N/m:
(7.3 N) / (53 N/m) = x
x ≈ 0.137 m
So, when the rubber band is pulled back with a force of 7.3 N, it stretches approximately 0.137 meters.