PROPERTIES OF MATTER AND THERMAL PHYSICS

HOOKE’S LAW

Hooke’s Law is a scientific law which concerns itself with the elasticity of materials. It states that when a force is applied to a spring, the displacement of that spring will be directly proportional to the amount of force applied.

Graphical representation of Hooke’s Law [2]

As an equation, it can be written as:

F = -kx

where F is the force applied to the spring (N).

where x is the displacement of the spring (m).

where k is the spring constant, the rate at which the spring is displaced (N/m).

Hooke’s law applies, as long as the material is within it’s elastic limit.

Once a sufficient amount of force has been applied, so as to extend the material beyond it’s elastic limit, the material enters it’s plastic region. With the material in it’s plastic region, the force applied causes permanent displacement of the material.