Hooke’s Law
In the1600s, a scientist called
Robert Hooke discovered a law
for elastic materials.
Hooke's achievements were
extraordinary - he made the
first powerful microscope and
wrote the first scientific best-
seller, Micrographia.
He even coined the word ‘Cell’.
3.
Hooke's Law, elasticand plastic
behaviour
• If a material returns to its original size and shape when you remove
the forces stretching or deforming it (reversible deformation), we say
that the material is demonstrating elastic behaviour.
• A plastic (or inelastic) material is one that stays deformed after you
have taken the force away. If deformation remains (irreversible
deformation) after the forces are removed then it is a sign of plastic
behaviour.
• If you apply too big a force a material will lose its elasticity.
• Hooke discovered that the amount a spring stretches is proportional
to the amount of force applied to it. This means if you double the
force its extension will double, if you triple the force the extension will
triple and so on.
8.
The elastic limitcan be seen on the graph.
This is where it stops obeying Hookes law.
10.
You can writeHooke's law as an
equation:
F = k ∆ x
Where:
• F is the applied force (in newtons, N),
• x is the extension (in metres, m) and
• k is the spring constant (in N/m).
• The extension ∆x (delta-x) is sometimes
written e or ∆l. You find the extension from:
• ∆x = stretched length – original length.
11.
___________ Law: Thecompression or elongation x of an
ideal spring from its ________________ position (x = 0)
is ____________________________to the applied force Fs.
Fs =
stretching or elongation: compression:
More F more ____________ or __________________.
x = 0
x = 0
Fs =
Fs
x
Fs
x
directly proportional
kx
stretch compression
Hooke's
equilibrium
12.
Hooke's Law isoften written: Fs = -kx
This is because it also describes the force that the
_______________ exerts on an ___________ that is attached
to it. The negative sign indicates that the direction of
the spring force is always _____________ to the
displacement of the object
spring itself
stretched
spring:
compressed
spring:
object
opposite
undisturbed
spring
______________
position, Fs = __
equilibrium
-x
+x
Fs
Fs
x = 0
0
Fs ___ 0
Fs ___ 0
>
<
13.
Ex. A weightof 8.7 N is attached to a spring that
has a spring constant of 190 N/m. How much
will the spring stretch?
Equation:
Given:
Unknown:
x
w/o weight
8.7
N
w/ weight
190 N/m
8.7 N
x = ?
k =
Fs =
Fs = kx
8.7 N = (190 N/m) x
x = 4.6 x 10-2
m
14.
Key Definitions
• Hooke’sLaw = The amount a
spring stretches is proportional
to the amount of force applied
to it.
• The spring constant measures
how stiff the spring is. The
larger the spring constant the
stiffer the spring.
• A Diagram to show Hooke’s
Law
F = k ∆ x
15.
Fs = kxFs
x
What quantity does the slope represent?
slope =
=
Compare to Fs = kx
Solve for Fs/x =
The slope represents _______________________________
direct
Ex: A force of 5.0 N
causes t0.015 m.
How far will it stretch
if the force is 10 N?
he spring to
stretch
2 (0.015 m)
= 0.030 m
y/x
Fs/x
the spring constant, k.
k
5
10
.015 ?
16.
Fs
x
stiffer spring _________ slope _________ k
spring
A
spring
B
Ex. Comparing
two springs that
stretch different
amounts.
xB
Applying the same
force F to both springs
Which spring stretches more?
Which is stiffer?
xA
A
B
greater larger
17.
____________ PE -the energy stored in a spring when work
is done on it to stretch or compress it
PEs =
Ex. A spring with a spring constant of 370 N/m is
stretched a distance 6.4 x 10-2
m. How much elastic
PE will be stored in the spring?
PEs = (½)kx2
= (0.5)( 370 N/m)(6.4 x 10-2
m)2
= 0.76 (N/m)(m2
)
= 0.76 Nm
= 0.76 J
How much work was done to stretch the spring by
this amount?
W = PE = 0.76 J
(½)kx2
Elastic
18.
• The springconstant measures how stiff the spring is.
• The larger the spring constant the stiffer the spring.
• You may be able to see this by looking at the graphs below:
k is measured in units of newtons per metre (Nm-1
).
19.
Example
• A springis 0.38m long. When it is pulled by a force of
2.0 N, it stretches to 0.42 m. What is the spring
constant? Assume the spring behaves elastically.
Extension, ∆x = Stretched length – Original length =
. 0.42m – 0.38m = 0.04 m
2.0N = k x 0.04m
So, k = 2.0 N
0.04 m
= 50 N m-1
F = k ∆ x
20.
Elastic behaviour –Car Safety
• Elastic behaviour is very
important in car safety, as
car seatbelts are made from
elastic materials. However,
after a crash they must be
replaced as they will go
past their elastic limit.
• Why have seat belts that
are elastic?
• Why not just have very
rigid seatbelts that would
keep you firmly in place?
• The reason for this, is that it
would be very dangerous
and cause large injuries.
This is because it would
slow your body down too
quickly. The quicker a
collision, the bigger the
force that is produced.
23.
Quiz no. 2
A.0.10 B. 0.30 m C. 0.60 m D. 0.90 m
A. 0.09 J B. 0.30 J C. 0.60 J D. 0.90 J
Editor's Notes
#4 If you measure how a spring stretches (extends its length) as you apply increasing force and plot extension (x) against force (F);
the graph will be a straight line.
#8 Elastic limit can be seen on the graph. Anything before the limit and the spring will behave elastically. This is where the graph stops being a straight line. If you stretch the spring beyond this point it will not return to its original size or shape.
#18 The spring constant k is measured in Nm-1 because it is the force per unit extension.
The value of k does not change unless you change the shape of the spring or the material that the spring is made of.
#21 This can be seen very plainly by comparing the effect of kicking a football, which squashes as you kick it giving a big collision time
#22 followed by kicking a brick. The brick doesn't squash, giving a very quick collision time and a very painful foot.
This is why airbags and crumple zones can reduce injuries (these are both parts of a car designed to squash rather than be rigid).
So to reduce injuries in a collision, always slow down in as long a time as possible. This is why you bend your legs when landing after a jump and why parachutists roll when they hit the ground.