What term describes how much a spring is extended?

What term describes how much a spring is extended?

• A. Compression
• B. Deformation
• C. Extension
• D. Elastic potential

Answer: (C)

The term that describes how much a spring is extended is "extension." In the context of springs, extension refers specifically to the increase in length of the spring beyond its rest length when a force is applied to it. When a spring is stretched, it experiences a force that pulls its coils apart, and the extent of this separation is measured as the length difference from its original (unstressed) state. This concept is fundamental to Hooke's Law, which states that the force exerted by a spring is proportional to the amount it is extended, reinforcing the direct relationship between extension and the forces acting on the spring. In this context, while terms like compression refer to the opposite action (when a spring is shortened), and deformation is a broader term that includes any change in shape or size, extension specifically captures the idea of a spring being pulled apart and quantified by how much longer it has become. Elastic potential energy, on the other hand, describes the energy stored in the spring as it is extended or compressed but is not directly a measure of the extension itself.

The term that describes how much a spring is extended is "extension." In the context of springs, extension refers specifically to the increase in length of the spring beyond its rest length when a force is applied to it.

When a spring is stretched, it experiences a force that pulls its coils apart, and the extent of this separation is measured as the length difference from its original (unstressed) state. This concept is fundamental to Hooke's Law, which states that the force exerted by a spring is proportional to the amount it is extended, reinforcing the direct relationship between extension and the forces acting on the spring.

In this context, while terms like compression refer to the opposite action (when a spring is shortened), and deformation is a broader term that includes any change in shape or size, extension specifically captures the idea of a spring being pulled apart and quantified by how much longer it has become. Elastic potential energy, on the other hand, describes the energy stored in the spring as it is extended or compressed but is not directly a measure of the extension itself.