Question

Determine the elastic constant of a spring if a force of extension stretches it by 2.9 cm.

a) 2.9 N/m
b) 2.9 N
c) Varies with extension
d) Insufficient information

Answer 1

The elastic constant of the spring is 100 N/m.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the elastic constant of a spring, we need to apply Hooke's Law, which states that the force exerted by a spring is directly proportional to its extension. The formula for Hooke's Law is F = kx, where F is the force applied, k is the spring constant, and x is the extension.

In this case, the force of extension is given as 2.9 cm. Since the extension is given in centimeters, we need to convert it to meters by dividing it by 100. So, the extension becomes 0.029 m.

Since we have all the required information, we can rearrange Hooke's Law to solve for k: k = F / x. Plugging in the values, we have k = 2.9 / 0.029 = 100 N/m.