

Now we know that the unit of force is given as Newton (N), or as kg m/s 2.

Therefore, it is clear to say that, the stiffer the spring is, the higher will be its spring constant. In other words, when the displacement of the spring is one unit, we can define the spring constant as the force applied to cause that said displacement. We define spring constant as the stiffness of the spring. Now that we know that k is the spring constant, we will look at the spring constant definition. The spring constant units are given as Newton per meter. Where F represents the restoring force of the spring, x is the displacement of the spring, and k is known as the spring constant. Hooke’s law formula is also known as the spring constant formula. To understand the spring constant definition, we will look at Hooke’s law formula. The image shows the movement of the spring when force is applied to one side. Hooke's law is defined as the force required by the spring to revert to its size is directly proportional to the distance of the compression of the spring. Therefore, to define the spring constant, we first define Hooke's law. At this time the spring exerts its force in the direction opposite to the applied force, to expand to its original size. Now we know that when force is applied to an object, it tends to deform in some way.Ĭonsider a spring, when we apply force on one side of the spring, it will get compressed, as they are elastic. According to the theory of elasticity, when a load is applied to spring it will naturally extend proportionally, as long as the load applied is less than the elastic limit. So, before we try to define the spring constant and understand the workings of the spring constant, we need to look at Hooke's law. Spring constant definition is related to simple harmonic motions and Hooke's law. The springs used in the shock absorbers must have spring constants of at least 4,900 newtons per meter. Now, we need to rework the equation so that we are calculating for the missing metric, which is the spring constant, or k.
Spring physics calculator how to#
What does this mean the spring constant should be? In order to figure out how to calculate the spring constant, we must remember what Hooke`s law says:

The spring in the shock absorber will, at a minimum, have to give you 2,450 newtons of force at the maximum compression of 0.5 meters. Where F is the force, m is the mass of the object, g is the gravitational acceleration, 9.8 meters / sec 2. How strong should the feathers be? Assuming these shock absorbers use springs, each must support a weight of at least 250 kilograms:į = mg = (250 kg) (9.8 m / s 2 ) = 2,450 N They say the car weighs 1,000 kilograms and requires the use of four shock absorbers, each 0.5 meters long. Hooke's law is a notorious law that explains the SHM and gives a formula for the force applied using spring constant.įor example, ask if a group of car designers will knock on your door and help develop a suspension system. Springs have their own native “ spring constants'' which define how stiff they are. It's constantly applied in the oscillatory motion of the objects. SHM is a veritably intriguing type of stir.
