Final answer:
The negative sign in Hooke's law indicates that the restoring force is in the opposite direction of displacement.
Step-by-step explanation:
The negative sign in the equation for Hooke's law, F = -kx, indicates that the restoring force is in the direction opposite to the displacement. The negative sign in Hooke's law indicates that the restoring force is in the opposite direction of displacement.
For example, if a spring is compressed, the displacement is in the positive direction, but the restoring force acts in the negative direction, trying to bring the spring back to its equilibrium position.
This negative sign is a fundamental part of Hooke's law and helps describe the relationship between the applied force and the resulting deformation or displacement.