HOOKE’S LAW

TOPICAL NOTES

Teachers of Physics 8/2/21 www.teachersofphysics.com

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HOOKE’S LAW

Table of Contents
Stretching of materials
Hooke’s law
Compressing a spring Connections
Revision Exercise Building on…
• Force- Tension force
• Equilibrium and Centre of
Specific Objectives
Gravity

By the end of this topic, the learner should be able to: Arriving at …
a) state and verify experimentally Hooke’s law • Defining some properties of
b) determine the spring constant materials
c) construct and calibrate a spring balance • Stating and verifying Hooke’s
d) solve numerical problems involving Hooke’s law.
law
• Working out calculations
involving the spring constant
(8 Lessons)
Looking forward to….
Content • Work, Energy, Power and

1. Hooke’s law Machines

2. Spring constant • Floating and Sinking
3. Spring balance
4. Problems on Hooke’s Law

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HOOKE’S LAW
A material is selected for a particular use depending on its ability to withstand the forces it may be subjected to.
This topic examines the elastic property of some materials under stretching and compression forces.

Characteristics of materials
The following characteristics are used to describe materials:

Strength
This is the ability of a material to resist breakage when under a stretching, compressing or shearing force. A strong
material is one which can withstand a large force without breaking.

Stiffness
This is the resistance a material offers to forces which tend to change its shape or size, or both. Stiff materials are
not flexible and resist bending.

Ductility
This is the quality of a material which leads to permanent change of size and shape. Materials which elongate
considerably under stretching forces and undergo plastic deformation until they break are known as ductile
materials. eg lead, copper, wrought iron and plasticine.
Ductile materials can be rolled into sheets, drawn into wires or worked into other useful shapes without breaking.
They are used in making such implements as staples, rivets and paper clips.

Brittleness
This is the quality of a material which leads to breakage just after the elastic limit is reached. Brittle materials are
fragile and do not undergo any noticeable extension on stretching but snap suddenly without warning.
Black chalk, bricks, cast iron board, glass and dry biscuits are examples of brittle materials.

Elasticity
This is the ability of a material to recover its original shape and size after the force causing deformation is removed.
A material which does not recover but is deformed permanently, like plasticine, is said to be elastic.

Hooke’s Law and Stretching of Materials

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The forces between the molecules in a solid account for its characteristic elastic or stretching properties. When a
solid is stretched, the spaces between the molecules increase slightly. The tension felt in a stretched rubber band,
for example, is due to all the forces of attraction between the molecules in it.

Robert Hooke investigated and formulated a law relating the stretching force and extension.
The law states that for a helical spring or other elastic material, the extension is directly proportional to the
stretching force, provided the elastic limit is not exceeded.

Experiment to verify Hooke’s law: The stretching of a spiral spring

Apparatus
A spiral spring with pointer attached, a metre rule, retort stand, two
sets of clamps and bosses, 20 g masses.
Procedure
• Arrange the apparatus as shown above. Note the position of the
pointer when the spring is unstretched, or not loaded.
• Suspend a mass at the end of the spring and note the new
position of the pointer.
• Increase the load in steps of 20 g and record the reading of the
pointer for each load in table (care should be taken not to use
too heavy weights which would overstretch the spring)

• Unload the spring in steps of 20g and again record the pointer readings.
• Plot a graph of stretching force (F) against extension, e,

Observation
Provided weights used are not too heavy, the spring always
returns to its original length on unloading. The ratio of
stretching force to extension is constant.
The graph of stretching force F against extension e is a
straight line through the origin as shown alongside.

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Conclusion
The extension, e, of a spring is directly proportional to the stretching force F, i.e, if the stretching force is doubled,
the extension is also doubled. This verifies Hooke’s law.
The same kind of result is obtained if a straight steel wire is stretched.
If the stretching force is increased beyond a certain value, permanent stretching occurs. The graph of extension
against stretching force is shown alongside.

OP represents the permanent stretching or permanent extension

of the spring. Point E is called the elastic limit of the spring. Beyond
this point, as in point B, further extension causes permanent
extension.

The Spring Constant

Mathematically, Hooke’s law can be expressed as;
F ∝ e in terms of force (F) and extension e
Hence, F=ke, where k is the constant of proportionality which depends on the material of the spring. The constant
is referred to as the spring constant.
In a graph of force against extension like the one alongsie,
𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆
the gradient =
𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏
∆𝑭
=
∆𝒆
This is the spring constant, whose units are given as Nm-1 or N/m.

The area under a force versus extension graph is equal to the work
done in stretching the spring.

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𝟏
Area under the graph = Fe, where F is the force applied and e the
𝟐
extension attained
But F = ke (where k is the spring constant)
𝟏
Hence, work done = ke2
𝟐

Compressing a Spring
When the two ends of a spring are squeezed together, it shortens. There is change in length that is referred to as
compression. The spring on its part exerts a counter force which resists the compression.

The figure alongside shows the variation of length against

compression of a spring which obeys Hooke’s Law.
Beyond the point E, the turns of coils are virtually pressing onto one
another and further increase in the force achieves no noticeable
decrease in length.

Some of the applications of compressed spring are top-pan balance, spring shock absorbers in motor vehicles.

Hooke’s Law Applied to Loading of Beams

When some materials such as wood are loaded with masses such that they are stretched, their graph of load
against amount of sagging, x, is a straight line through the origin. This shows that the sagging is in accordance with
Hooke’s law.
Some materials regain their original shapes after being stretched, even though they do not extend according to
Hooke’s law. Rubber is one such material as shown by the graph below.

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Initially, rubber stretches by a large amount for a small increase

in stretching force but beyond a certain point, tends to stiffen
up showing very little extension with increase in force. When
the stretching force is withdrawn, there is no permanent
extension. This shows that the material is elastic.

Bristle materials like concrete and glass exhibit elasticity but

suddenly snap without becoming plastic. Materials like polythene and metal wires display elasticity, but go
through plasticity before snapping.

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Worked Examples
Example 1
A metal cube suspended freely from the end of a spring causes it to stretch by
5.0 cm. A 500 g mass suspended from the same spring stretches it by 2.0. If
the elastic limit is not exceeded:
(a) Find the weight of the metal cube.
(b) By what length will the spring stretch if a mass of 1.5 kg is attached to its
end?
Solution
(a) Since the spring obeys Hooke’s Law;
F = ke
𝐹
So, K =
𝑒
0.5 ×10
Therefore, K = = 250 Nm-1
2 × 10-2
But F = mg
Since the same spring is used:
weight of the cube = 250 × 5 × 10-2= 12.5 N
(b) Let the extension produced by the 1.5 kg mass be e.
Force = 1.5 × 10= 15 N
From F = ke
𝐹 15
e= = = 0.06 m or 6.0 cm
𝐾 250

Example 2
A spiral spring is fitted with a scale pan as shown alongside. The pointer is at
the 40 cm mark on the scale. When a packet of salt is placed in the pan, the
pointer moves to the 20 cm mark. When a 20 g mass is placed on top of the
packet of salt, the pointer indicates 10 cm.
Find the:
(a) extension produced by the packet of salt.
(b) extension produced by the 20g mass.
(c) the mass of the salt.
Solution
(a) Assuming that the spring does not exceed its elastic limit;
extension produced by the packet of salt = 40 cm – 20cm = 0.2 m
(b) Extension produced by the 20 g mass = 20 cm – 10 cm =
0.1m

(c) Using the extension produced by the 20g mass;

Force 20 × 10-3 × 10
spring constant = =
extension 0.1
= 2.0 Nm-1
Weight of salt = 2 × 0.2 = 0.4 N
0.4
Mass of the salt = = 0.04 kg (40 g)
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Example 3
Two very light identical springs P and Q are arranged as
shown in (a) and (b) below.
A weight of 4.8 N is supported by each arrangement. Given
that each spring has a spring constant of 10 N/cm, determine
the total extension for each arrangement.
Solution
Since the springs P and Q are identical,
For (a) both springs P and Q experience a load of 4.8 N
force.
𝐹
Thus, extension in each spring is
𝐾
𝐹 4.8 𝑁
Therefore, = = 0.48 cm
𝐾 10 𝑁/𝑐𝑚
Total extension = 2 × 0.48 = 0.96 cm

In. (b), the two springs share the load

4.8
2e =
10
e = 0.24 cm
4.8
or Force per spring is = 2.4 N
2
𝐹 2.4
Since e = ; e= = 0.24 cm.
𝐾 10

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Recently in KCSE;
1. 2006 Q5
The spiral springs shown in figure 4 are identical. Each spring has a spring constant k= 300N/m

Determine the total extensions caused by the 90N weight. (ignore the weight of the spring and
connecting roots) (3 marks)

2. 2006 Q15
(a) You are provided with two wires of same material and same thickness. Describe how you
would make two spiral springs of different spring constants (assume that other apparatus
to make springs are available). (2 marks)

(b) In an experiment, two identical springs are attached end to end. One end of the combined
springs is fixed to a rigid support such that the spring hangs vertically. Masses are then hung
from the lower end.
The graph in figure 8 shows the relation between the force (weight) and the extension for the
combined springs.

From the graph determine

(i) The elastic limit for the combined springs; (1 mark)

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(ii) The springs constant of the combined spring and hence for each spring;
(4 marks)
(iii) The work done in stretching the combined spring from 15 mm to 32 mm.
(3 marks)

3. 2008 Q13
The graphs in Figure 7 represent the relations between extension e and mass m on two springs x and y
added

Given that the two springs are made of same materials, give a reason why the graphs are different.
(1 mark)

4. 2009 Q10; 2016 Q9

The three springs shown in figure 5 are identical and have negligible weight. The extension produced
on the system of springs is 20 cm.

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Determine the constant of each spring (3 marks)

5. 2010 Q13
State the SI unit of a spring constant (NB: in words) (1 mark)

6. 2011 Q3
Figure 2 shows a spring balance. Its spring constant is 125 Nm-1. The scale spreads over a distance of
20cm.

Determine the maximum weight that can be measured using this spring. (3 marks)

7. 2012 Q10
Table 1 shows the result of an experiment carried out to study the properties of a spring.
Table 1

Force (N) 0 10 20 30 40
Extension (cm) 0 2 4 6 8
State with a reason whether the experiment was done within the elastic limit of the spring.
(2 marks)

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8. 2013 Q4
An object of weight 20 N attached at the end of a spring causes an extension of 0.5 cm on the spring.
(a) Determine the spring constant of the spring. (2 marks)
(b) Determine the weight of an object that would cause an extension of 0.86 cm when
attached at the end of the same spring. (1 mark)

9. 2014 Q10
A light spiral spring extends by 4mm when loaded with a weight W. The spring is connected in series
with an identical spring. The combination is loaded with the weight W. Determine the extension of the
combination (2 marks)

10. 2015 Q3
A spring extends by 6 cm when supporting a mass of 0.06 kg on earth. When the spring is used to
support the same mass on the moon, it extends by 1 cm. Determine the moon's gravitational strength.
(Take gravitational field strength on earth as 10 Nkg1) (3 marks)

11. 2017 Q15

(a) A student was provided with several identical masses, a metre rule, a spring and a stand, boss
and clamp. Outline five steps that the student should follow in order to verify
Hooke's law.
(5 marks)

(b) Figure 4 shows a graph that was drawn from the results obtained in an experiment to
study the extension of a spring.

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From the graph determine:

(i) The spring constant K; (3 marks)
(ii) The load that causes an extension of 3 × 10-2 m. (1 mark)

(c) Three identical springs of spring constant 100 Nm1 are arranged as shown in Figure 5 to support
a 5 N load.

Determine the total extension in the arrangement. (3 marks)

12. 2018 Q12

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Figure 8 shows the graph of extension against force for a certain helical spring.

On the same diagram, sketch the graph of extension against force for a spring with a lower value of
spring constant. (1 mark)

13. 2019 Q12

Figure 5 shows two springs C and D of the same length and equal number of turns made from the same
wire.

State with a reason which of the two springs can support a heavier load before attaining the elastic
limit. (2 marks)

14. 2019 Q14

(a) A student is provided with five 20 g masses, a meter rule, a spring with a pointer, a stand,
a boss and a clamp.
(i) In the space provided, sketch a labelled diagram of the set up that may be used in
order to verify Hooke's law using these apparatus. (3 marks)

(ii) State two measurements that should be recorded in order to plot a suitable graph
so as to verify Hooke's law (2 marks)

(iii) Describe how the measurements made in (ii) can be used to determine the spring
constant. (2 marks)

(b) A helical spring stretches by 0.6 cm when supporting a weight of 40 g. determine the
extension when the same spring supports a weight of 65 g. (3 marks)

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