Final answer:
According to Hooke's Law, the distance a spring stretches varies directly with the force applied. To determine how much a force of 39 lb will stretch a spring that stretches 5 in with a force of 13 lb, we can set up a proportion and solve for the unknown distance stretched, x.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hooke's Law states that the distance a spring stretches varies directly with the force applied to it. The formula to calculate this relationship is F = kx, where F is the force applied, k is the force constant, and x is the distance stretched. To solve the problem, we can set up a proportion using the given information:
13 lb / 5 in = 39 lb / x in
Cross multiplying and solving for x, we get:
x = (39 lb * 5 in) / 13 lb
x = 15 in