PHYSICS

HOOKE’S LAW

Problem 1 
The heels on a pair of women’s shoes have radii of 0.50 cm at the bottom. If 30% of the weight
of a woman weighing 480 N is supported by each heel, find the stress on each heel.
 
GIVEN:
A = πr^2 = (3.14)(0.005 m)^2 = 7.85 x10^-5 m^2
F = (0.30)(480 N) = 144 N
 
Stress = F/A
Stress = (144 N) / (7.85 x10^-5 m^2)
Stress = 1.83 x10^6 N/m^2
 
Problem 2
For safety in climbing, a mountaineer uses a nylon rope that is 50 m long and 1.0 cm in diameter.
When supporting a 90-kg climber, the rope elongates 1.6 m. Find its Young’s modulus.
 
GIVEN:
Lo = 50 m
∆L = 1.6 m
F = 90kg * 9.81 N = 882.9 N
A = πD^2/4 = (3.14)(0.01 m)^2 /4 = 7.85 x10^-5 m^2
 
Stress = F/A
Stress = (882.9 N) / (7.85 x10^-5 m^2)
Stress = 1.12 x10^7 N/m^2
Strain = ∆L / Lo
Strain = (1.6 m) / (50 m)
Strain = 0.032
 Y = Stress/Strain
Y = (1.12 x10^7 N/m^2) / (0.032)
Y = 3.50 x10^8 N/m^2

Problem 3
What is the magnitude of the force required to stretch a 20 cm-long spring, with a spring constant
of 100 N/m, to a length of 21 cm?
 
GIVEN:
Lo = 0.2 m
L = 0.21 m
x = 0.21 m – 0.2 m = 0.01 m
k = 100 N/m
 
F = kx
F = (100 N/m) (0.01 m)
F=1N
 
Problem 4
What is the spring constant of a spring that needs a force of 3 N to be compressed from 40 cm to
35 cm?
 
GIVEN:
F=3N
Lo = 0.35 m
L = 0.4 m
x = 0.4 m – 0.35 m = 0.05 m
 
k = F/x
k = (3 N) / (0.05 m)
k = 60 N/m
Problem 5
What is the magnitude of the force required to stretch two springs of constants k1 = 100 N / m
and k2 = 200 N / m by 6 cm if they are in parallel?
 
GIVEN:
k1 = 100 N/m
k2 = 200 N/m
x = 0.06 m
 
k = k1 + k2
k = 100 N/m + 200 N/m
k = 300 N/m
 
F = kx
F = (300 N/m) (0.06 m)
F = 18 N