Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Hooke's Law
Hooke's Law states that the force exerted by a spring is directly proportional to the displacement from its equilibrium position, expressed as F = -kx, where k is the spring constant and x is the displacement. This principle is essential for understanding how the spring behaves under different loads and how it returns to equilibrium after being stretched.
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Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM)
Simple Harmonic Motion is the type of periodic motion where an object oscillates around an equilibrium position. In the context of springs, when a mass is attached and displaced, it will oscillate back and forth, and the time taken to complete one full cycle is known as the period. The period depends on the mass and the spring constant.
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Equilibrium Position
The equilibrium position of a spring-mass system is the point where the net force acting on the mass is zero, meaning the spring is neither compressed nor stretched. When the mass is displaced from this position and released, it will oscillate around this point, and understanding this position is crucial for calculating the time it takes to return to equilibrium after being disturbed.
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