Physics 2420 As a student in a physics lab, you are asked to classify two spring
ID: 2263460 • Letter: P
Question
Physics 2420
As a student in a physics lab, you are asked to classify two springs. Right away you notice some differences. The first spring, spring 1, is very easy to compress and pliable. The second spring, spring 2, is stiffer and more difficult to deform. What qualitative statement can you make about their spring constants? Now you want to understand the springs quantitatively. You find that it takes 10.0 J of work to stretch spring 1 by 14.0 cm. 20.0 J is required to displace the second spring 3.50 cm. What is the ratio of the two spring constants, k2/k1? is the spring constant of spring 1 and k2 is the spring constant of spring 2.Explanation / Answer
1. When you are testing the springs stength, it means you are applying equal force for both springs and test its compression.
F = k1 * X1 ;
F = k2 * X2 ;
IT is said that spring1 is easy to compress and spriing2 is stiffer. So X1 > X2. So from the equations K1 < K2.
ANSWER : Spring constant of Spring 2 is greater than Spring 1.
2. Work to stretch a spring by x cm is given by J = 0.5 * k * x^2;
0.5 * K1 * 14^2 = 10J
0.5 * K2 * 3.5^2 = 20J
Dividing both equations, we get (K1/K2)*(14/3.5)^2 = 0.5
K1/K2 = 1/32
therefore K2/K1 = 32