Hooke’sLaw

In the 1600s, a scientist called Robert

Hooke discovered a law for elastic
materials.

Hooke's achievements were

extraordinary - he made the first
powerful microscopeand wrote the
first scientific best- seller,
Micrographia.

He even coined the word ‘Cell’.

 Hooke's Law, elastic and plastic behaviour
• If a material returns to its original size and shape when you
remove the forces stretching it we say that the material -
elasticbehaviour.

• A plastic (or inelastic) material is one that stays deformed

after you havetaken the force away– Plastic behaviour.

• If you apply too big aforce amaterial will lose its elasticity.

• Hooke discovered that the amount a spring stretches is

proportional to the amount of force applied to it. This means
if you double the force its extension will double, if you triple
the force the extension will tripleand soon.
The elastic limit can be seen on the graph.
This is where it stops obeying Hookeslaw.
 Since Force is proportional to
extension Hookes Law could be
put as

F x
Where F is the applied force inNewtons
x is the extension inmetres
Or if k is the proportionalityconstant

F=kx
 K= SpringConstant?!
• The spring constant measures how stiff the spring is.
• The larger the spring constant the stiffer the spring.
• Youmay be able to see this by looking at the graphsbelow:

k is measured in units of newtons per metre (Nm -1).

 Example
• A spring is 0.38m long.
• When it ispulled by aforce of 2.0 N, it stretches to 0.42m.
• What is the spring constant? (Assume the springbehaves
elastically.)
Extension, x = Stretched length – Originallength
= 0.42m – 0.38m
= 0.04 m F

2.0N = k x0.04m k x
So,k = 2.0 N
0.04 m = 50 N m-1
 KeyDefinitions
• Hooke’s Law =The amount a spring stretches isproportional to the
amount of force applied to it.
• The spring constantmeasures how stiff the spring is. The larger
the spring constant the stiffer thespring.
• ADiagram to showHooke’s Law
USES

 Used in all branches of science and engineering

 Foundation for seismology, acoustics and molecular mechanics.
 Fundamental principle behind manometer, spring scale, balance wheel of
the clock.