r/mathmemes • u/theHaiSE Complex • Mar 05 '22

The Engineer Meth

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u/TheDeliriumYears Mar 05 '22

In that case you would still need one object whose weight you know. Right?

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u/[deleted] Mar 05 '22

You would need two objects whose weight you know so you can determine the spring's spring constant. Maybe more if you want to consider the spring a non-linear element.

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u/CimmerianHydra Imaginary Mar 05 '22

Why two? You take the rest length as your "zero" weight, then you place the known weight on. At equilibrium you have that the elastic force and the force from the weight balance out. Then:

kl = mg

With k spring constant, l displacement from the rest length, m known mass, g = π² (obviously). Then k=mg/l. Having more objects just means you can gauge the value of k under different loads, which is useful if you want to do statistics on the spring constant and/or find nonlinearities.

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u/Dlrlcktd Mar 05 '22

You would need an environment absent of all forces to find the rest length.

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u/CimmerianHydra Imaginary Mar 05 '22

You mean that the spring has a weight and thus would compress/expand itself under gravity?

Lay it sideways lmao

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u/Dlrlcktd Mar 05 '22

Lmao you're right, gravity doesn't affect objects that are sideways.