Hooke's Law (Elasticity)

Hooke's Law describes the behavior of springs and elastic materials when subjected to an external force. According to this law, the extension (x) or compression of the spring is directly proportional to the applied force (F). The proportionality constant (k), often referred to as the force constant or spring constant, is unique to each spring or elastic material. The unit of force is typically Newtons (N) when the extension is measured in meters (m), and the force constant is expressed in Newtons per meter (N/m).

In practice, Hooke's Law can be used to determine the force required to stretch a spring a certain length, or inversely, to predict how much a spring will extend or compress under a specific force. This is especially useful in engineering applications involving suspension systems, materials testing, and mechanical energy storage systems.