A spring 20cm long is stretched to 25cm by a load of 50N; what will be its length when stretched by 100N, assuming that the elastic limit is not reached?
To solve this problem, we can use Hooke's Law which states that the extension of a spring is directly proportional to the force applied to it, as long as the elastic limit is not reached.
Hooke's Law formula: F = kx
Where:
F = force applied (N)
k = spring constant
x = extension of the spring (m)
First, we need to find the spring constant (k) using the given information:
50N = k(25cm - 20cm)
50N = 5k
k = 10 N/cm
Now we can use Hooke's Law to find the extension of the spring when a force of 100N is applied:
100N = 10 N/cm * x
x = 10 cm
Therefore, the length of the spring when stretched by 100N will be:
20 cm + 10 cm = 30 cm.