Springs and Elasticity Flashcards
7 cards from real Bennett Mechanical Test practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Springs and Elasticity flashcards as text
A spring is stretched beyond its elastic limit. What happens when the force is removed?
Answer: It becomes permanently deformed
Beyond the elastic limit, the spring undergoes plastic deformation and cannot fully recover its original shape when the force is removed.
A spring with constant 100 N/m stores 50 J of elastic potential energy. How far is it compressed?
Answer: 1 m
Using PE = ½kx²: 50 = ½(100)x², so x² = 1 and x = 1 m.
A stiffer spring has a _____ spring constant.
Answer: Higher
A higher spring constant means more force is required per unit of displacement, which is the definition of a stiffer spring.
What happens to the period of oscillation of a mass on a spring if the mass is increased?
Answer: Period increases
Period T = 2π√(m/k), so increasing mass increases the period, meaning the oscillation slows down.
A spring with a constant of 200 N/m is stretched 5 cm (0.05 m). What is the restoring force?
Answer: 10 N
Using F = kx: F = 200 N/m × 0.05 m = 10 N.
Which type of spring stores energy primarily through twisting rather than compression or extension?
Answer: Torsion spring
A torsion spring stores elastic energy by being twisted about its axis, commonly used in clothespins and mouse traps.
Rubber bands demonstrate elastic behavior because they:
Answer: Return to their original shape after stretching
Rubber bands exhibit elasticity because they recover their original shape after the stretching force is removed, within their elastic limit.