🌀 ELASTICITY & HOOKE'S LAW
PAGE 1 OF 5, PUSH BACK!
ELASTIC MATERIALS
PUSH A SPRING, IT PUSHES BACK
Elastic materials return to their original shape after being stretched or squeezed. Pull a spring and its coils resist, storing energy inside the material. Release it and that stored energy drives a restoration force that snaps the spring back. Rubber bands, diving boards, and archery bows work the same way. The material's internal bonds are slightly pulled apart when deformed, then pull themselves back together when the load is removed. This elastic behaviour is everywhere in engineering, from mattress coils to the suspension that keeps car rides smooth.
🔄 ELASTICITY
A material is elastic if it returns to its original shape after the deforming force is removed. The restoration force always opposes the direction of stretch or compression.
SPRING!
STRETCH
↔️ Pull spring: coils spread apart
⬅️ Restoration force pulls inward
📏 Extension = change in length
⬅️ Restoration force pulls inward
📏 Extension = change in length
SQUEEZE
🔽 Push spring: coils pack tighter
⬆️ Restoration force pushes outward
💪 Same elastic rules apply
⬆️ Restoration force pushes outward
💪 Same elastic rules apply