o The spring is said to be stiff if k is large and soft if k is small.
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Spring force is position dependent as first stated by Hooke,( Fs = − kx)
Work done by spring force only depends on the initial and final positions. Thus, the spring force is a conservative force.
We define the potential energy V( x) of the spring to be zero when block and spring system is in the equilibrium position.
o For an extension( or compression) x, V( x) = kx 2 / 2
If the block of mass m is extended to xm and released from rest, then its total mechanical energy at any arbitrary point x( where x lies between –
xm and + xm) will be given by: