Topic 2.8: Spring Forces

Name: _______________________________ Date: _______________ Period: _______

Key Ideas

• An ideal spring exerts a force proportional to how far it's stretched or compressed from its relaxed (equilibrium) length: Hooke's Law, $F_s = -k\Delta x$
• $k$ is the spring constant (units: N/m) — a measure of stiffness. Larger $k$ = stiffer spring.
• The spring force is a restoring force: it always points back toward the spring's relaxed position, whether the spring is stretched or compressed.
• On a graph of applied force vs. stretch, the slope equals $k$.

Keep This Sheet!

These sheets build into your semester study guide. Keep them in order in a binder or folder — you'll want to flip back through them before quizzes, unit tests, and when AP exam review starts in the spring.