I/GCSE Physics - Hooke's Law

Hooke's Law😆

Hookes law says that extension is proportional to force

• The length of an unstretched metal wire is called its natural length.
• If a metal wire is supported at the top and then a weight is attacted to the bottom, it stretches.

How investigate Hookes law🧐

You will have to know how to describe this in I/GCSE Physics.

1. Set up the apparatus
2. Measure the length of the spring (e.g. with an accurate mm ruler) when no load is applied. This is the springs natural length
3. Add one mass at a time, then measure the new length of the spring.

Hooke's law stops working when the force is great enough. Theres a limit to the force you can apply for Hooke's law. There is a straight-line relationship between force and extension in the graph. When the force becomes great enough, the graph starts to curve. When it begins to curve it is called the Elastic Limit

• If you increase the force past the Elastic Limit, the material will be permanently stretched.
• A material can return to its original shape after an elastic deformation
• If a material returns to its original shape once the forces are removed, it displayed Elastic behaviour
• Metals display elastic behaviour as long as Hooke's law is obeyed

Reference: https://cdn.britannica.com/82/146782-050-AF0DE946/kx-law-Hooke-F-force-length-displacement.jpg

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Drafted by Catrina (Physics)