Answers to Practice Questions

1.Define Hooke’s law

The extension of an elastic object, is directly proportional to the force applied, provided that the limit of proportionality is not exceeded.

2.Does Hooke’s law apply to both compression and stretching for an elastic material?

Yes, it will provided the material is an elastic material

3. State what is meant by the term limit of proportionality

The limit of proportionality is the point up to which the applied force is directly proportional to extension so Hooke’s law applies.

So, after the limit of proportionality, the force and extension are not directly proportional and the graph line will become curved as shown below.