A person who weighs 829 N steps onto a spring scale in the bathroom, and the spring compresses by 0.538 cm. (a) What is the spring constant? (b) What is the weight of another person who compresses the spring by 0.390 cm?

Answer 1

(a)W=kx
k=W/x=829/0.538 = 1540.9 N/m
(b)W₁=kx₁=1540.9•0.390 =600 N

Answer 2

Adjust for the fact that the compression is .538cm, not .538m