Final answer:
The work done on a spring obeying Hooke's law can be found using the formula W = 1/2 kx², where the spring constant k is calculated based on maximum force and displacement, followed by substituting the values back into the work formula.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the work done in stretching a spring according to Hooke's law, we use the formula W = 1/2 kx², where W is work done, k is the spring constant, and x is the displacement of the spring from its equilibrium position.
First, we need to find the spring constant k using the force and displacement given in the question. Since the force required to stretch the spring to 6.6 cm is 61.2 N, we can write Hooke's law as F = kx, which gives us k = F/x. Substituting the values, k = 61.2 N / 0.066 m.
With the value of k, we now calculate the work done: W = 1/2 kx² = 1/2 × (61.2 N / 0.066 m) × (0.066 m)². After calculating, we express the work in joules (J).