Spring System
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Spring System |
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When you press a spring, you are storing energy into it. Unless you press it too hard to make it deform, the force on the spring will obey the Hooke's Law.
Hooke's Law
The extension or compression of a spring is proportional to the force acting on it, provided that there is no deformation. Mathematically,
F = ke
where k is called the force constant of the spring (Actually it is just a proportionality constant which values depend on the material of the spring).
Combination of springs
In series
The same force F is applied on each spring.
F = k1 e1
Similarly, for spring 2,
F = k2 e2
Total extension is
e = e1
+ e2 = 
So, the force constant of
the combination is 
In parallel
The two springs have the same extension e. The restoring force in spring 1 is
F1 = k1 e
Similarly, for spring 2,
F2 = k2 e
The combination required an applied force
F = F1 + F2 = (k1 + k2) e
So, the force constant of the combination is
k = k1 + k2
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