Understanding Hooke's Law

Hooke's Law states that the force exerted by a spring is proportional to the displacement from its equilibrium position. Mathematically:

* F = -kx

Where:

* F = force applied

* k = spring constant

* x = displacement (stretch or compression)

Solving for the Spring Constant (k)

1. Rearrange the equation: k = -F / x

2. Plug in the values:

* F = 60 N

* x = 1.5 m

3. Calculate:

* k = -60 N / 1.5 m = -40 N/m

Important Note: The negative sign in the equation indicates that the force exerted by the spring is in the opposite direction to the displacement. We typically use the absolute value of the spring constant, which is 40 N/m.

Therefore, the spring constant is 40 N/m.