Question

To launch a ball, a pinball machine compresses a spring 4.0 cm. The
spring constant is 13 N/m. What is the force of the spring on the ball
when the spring is released?​

Answer 1

To find the force of the spring on the ball when it is released, we can use Hooke's Law, which states that the force exerted by a spring is directly proportional to the displacement from its equilibrium position.

The formula for Hooke's Law is:
F = -kx

where:
F is the force exerted by the spring,
k is the spring constant (13 N/m),
x is the displacement from the equilibrium position (4.0 cm = 0.04 m).

Plugging in the values, we get:
F = -(13 N/m)(0.04 m)
F = -0.52 N

Therefore, the force of the spring on the ball when it is released is -0.52 N. The negative sign indicates that the force is acting in the opposite direction of the displacement.