What is the Displacement of the Spring Due to Weight of Pears?

What is meant by displacement in the context of the spring scale and how can it be calculated based on the given data?

Definition of Displacement

Displacement is defined as the straight line distance in a particular direction. In the context of the spring scale with pears placed on it, displacement refers to the stretching of the spring due to the weight of the pears.

Calculation of Displacement

To calculate the displacement of the spring based on the given data, we can use Hooke's Law, which states that F = -kx where F is the force, k is the spring constant, and x is the displacement.

Given:

  • Mass (m) = 2 kg
  • Spring constant (k) = 450 N/m

Using the equation for force, F = mg, we can calculate the force exerted by the pears as: F = 2 × 9.8 = 19.6 N

Then, to find the displacement (x): x = F / k = 19.6 / 450 = 0.043 m

Therefore, the displacement of the spring due to weight, in this case, is 0.043 meters.

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