Level: Silver

Hooke’s Law Problems

Take g = 10 m/s2 and use F = kx
(don’t forget Weight (Force) = mass x g)

1. A mass of 630g (0.63kg) is hung on a spring. Using Force = mass x gravity, what is the force of
the mass, acting on the spring?

2. Can you rearrange the equation F = kx to get k on one side of the equation
(on its own!). Now, can you rearrange it to get x on its own?

3. If a 4N weight is hung on a spring, and it extends by 0.2m, what is the spring constant (k)?
What do you think the units are?

4. What Force would be needed to extend a spring with a spring constant k=5, 0.3 m?

5. If we hung two identical springs in parallel, would this make the ‘overall spring constant’ more
stiff or less? Draw a diagram.

Hooke’s Law Problems

 Level: Silver
Take g = 10 m/s2 and use F = kx
(don’t forget Weight=mass x g)

1. A mass of 630g is hung on a spring. Using Force = mass x gravity, what is the force of the
mass, acting on the spring?

630g = 0.63 kg 0.63 x 10 = 6.3 N

2. Can you rearrange the equation F = kx to get k on one side of the equation
(on its own!). Now, can you rearrange it to get x on its own?

k =F/x

x = F/k

3. If a 4N weight is hung on a spring, and it extends by 0.2m, what is the spring constant (k)?
What do you think the units are?

k = F/x = 4/0.2 = 20N/m

4. What Force would be needed to extend a spring with a spring constant k=5, 0.3 m?

F = kx = 5 x 0.3 = 1.5N

5. If we hung two identical springs in parallel, would this make the ‘overall spring constant’ more
stiff or less? Draw a diagram.

More stiff. K would double.