HOOKE'S LAW Introduction In physics, Hooke's Law is one of the fundamental principles governing how objects deform under external forces . Named after the 17th-century British physicist Robert Hooke, this law provides a crucial understanding of the behavior of elastic materials, such as springs and rubber bands. Whether stretching a rubber band or compressing a spring, Hooke's Law helps explain what happens when forces act on these materials. What is Hooke's Law: Hooke's Law states that the force F needed to extend or compress a spring by some distance x is proportional to that distance. Mathematically, it is expressed as: F= -kx Here k represents the spring constant, which is the measure of the stiffness of the spring, and x is the displacement from the displacement position. The negative sign indicates that the force exerted by the spring is in the opposite direction of the displacement. Understanding the Spring Constant: The spring constant k is a critical co...
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES The value of a physical quantity is expressed by a number followed by some suitable unit. Every measurement of a quantity is an attempt to find its true value. The accuracy in measuring a physical quantity depends upon various factors: + the quality of the measuring instrument + the skill of the observer + the number of observations made For example, a student measures the length of a book as 18 cm using a measuring tape. The numbers of significant figures in his/her measured value are two. The left digit 1 is the accurately known digit. While the digit 8 is the doubtful digit for which the student may not be sure. Another student measures the same book using a ruler and claims its length to be 18.4 cm. In this case all the three figures are significant. The two left digits 1 and 8 are accurately known digits. Next digit 4 is the doubtful digit for which the student may not be sure. A third student records the length of the book a...