The spring has a stiffness of k 800 Nm and an unstretched l

The spring has a stiffness of k = 800 N/m and an unstretched length of 200 mm. Determine the force in cables BC and BD when the spring is held in the position shown.

Solution

hookes law is only a first-order linear approximation to the real response of springs and other elastic bodies to applied forces. it must eventually fail once the forces exceed some limit, since no material cab be compressed beyond a certain minimum size,or stretched beyond a maximum size, without some permenent deformation or change of state. many materials will noticeably devite from hookes law well before tose elastic limits are reahed.

on the other hand hooks kaw is an accurate approximation for most solid bodies as long as the forces and deforation are small enough. for this reason, hookes law is extensively used in all branches of science and engineering, and is the foundation of many dosciplines such as seismology,

molecular mechines and acoustics.