Question

Inside most ball-point pens is a small spring that compresses as the pen is pressed against the paper. If a force of 0.1 N compresses the pen's spring a distance of 0.005 m, what is the spring constant of the tiny spring?

Answer 1

Answer:

20 N/m

Explanation:

From the question,

The ball-point pen obays hook's law.

From hook's law,

F = ke............................ Equation 1

Where F = Force, k = spring constant, e = compression.

Make k the subject of the equation

k = F/e........................ Equation 2

Given: F = 0.1 N, e = 0.005 m.

Substitute these values into equation 2

k = 0.1/0.005

k = 20 N/m.

Hence the spring constant of the tiny spring is 20 N/m