Forces and Elasticity - Key Points for GCSE Physics Exam

Physics Quiz - Forces - Forces and Elasticity (Questions)

This GCSE Physics quiz explores forces and elasticity, including Hooke’s law, spring constants, and how materials stretch and return to their original shape under different loads.

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Fascinating Fact:

When a spring is stretched beyond its elastic limit, it will not return fully to its original length and is permanently deformed.

In GCSE Physics, forces and elasticity explain how materials stretch, compress, and store energy. You study force extension graphs, Hooke’s law, elastic limits, and how to calculate spring constants.

Key Terms

Elasticity: The ability of a material to return to its original shape after a stretching or compressing force is removed.
Elastic limit: The maximum extension where a material can still return fully to its original length when the force is removed.
Spring constant: A measure of how stiff a spring is, found from the relationship between force and extension in Hooke’s law.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What is Hooke's law in GCSE Physics?

Hooke's law states that the extension of a spring is directly proportional to the force applied, as long as the spring is not stretched beyond its elastic limit.

How do you calculate the spring constant?

The spring constant is calculated using k = F ÷ x, where F is the force applied to the spring in newtons and x is the extension of the spring in metres.

What happens when a spring is stretched past the elastic limit?

When a spring is stretched past its elastic limit, it becomes permanently deformed, does not return to its original length and no longer follows Hooke’s law accurately.

Try These Related Quizzes

A force acting on an object can do what to it?

[ ]	Change its shape
[ ]	Make it breakfast
[ ]	Have no effect on it
[ ]	Not allow the object to get married

If a force acts on an elastic object stretching the object, what kind of energy is stored within the object?

[ ]	Gravitational potential energy
[ ]	Tidal energy
[ ]	Chemical energy
[ ]	Elastic potential energy

Which of the following items can store elastic potential energy?

[ ]	A paper clip
[ ]	A pencil
[ ]	A rubber band
[ ]	A USB pen drive

How is the extension of an elastic object related to the force applied?

[ ]	Inversely proportional
[ ]	Directly proportional
[ ]	Dependent upon the material being extended
[ ]	None of the above

Which formula correctly states the relationship between force and extension?

[ ]	F = e
[ ]	F= 2k x e
[ ]	F = k x 2e
[ ]	F = k x e

What does k represent in the formula in question 5?

[ ]	The force on the object
[ ]	The extension of the object
[ ]	The spring constant
[ ]	The constant of extension

If a material has a spring constant of 10 N/m and is extended by 1 m, what force must have been applied to the object?

[ ]	5 N
[ ]	10 N
[ ]	20 N
[ ]	50 N

What is the size of the extension of an object which has a spring constant of 30 N/m when a force of 15 N is applied?

[ ]	0.5m
[ ]	1m
[ ]	2m
[ ]	10m

A slinky is stretched from being a length of 15 cm to a length of 2 m. One end of the slinky is affixed to a point whilst a child pulls on the other end with a force of 10 N. What is the spring constant of the slinky?

[ ]	5.3 N/m
[ ]	5.4 N/m
[ ]	18.5 N/m
[ ]	20 N/m

10.

A spring is stretched to a point where, when released it does not return to its original length. What is this point called?

[ ]	Fracture limit
[ ]	Limit of proportionality
[ ]	Torsion limit
[ ]	Bohr's limit

Physics Quiz - Forces - Forces and Elasticity (Answers)

A force acting on an object can do what to it?

[x]	Change its shape
[ ]	Make it breakfast
[ ]	Have no effect on it
[ ]	Not allow the object to get married

A nice easy start. Remember that forces can do many more things to objects such as change its direction of movement and stop or start movement

If a force acts on an elastic object stretching the object, what kind of energy is stored within the object?

[ ]	Gravitational potential energy
[ ]	Tidal energy
[ ]	Chemical energy
[x]	Elastic potential energy

Any elastic device will always store energy as elastic potential energy when a force is applied to it

Which of the following items can store elastic potential energy?

[ ]	A paper clip
[ ]	A pencil
[x]	A rubber band
[ ]	A USB pen drive

It is the only one with elastic properties

How is the extension of an elastic object related to the force applied?

[ ]	Inversely proportional
[x]	Directly proportional
[ ]	Dependent upon the material being extended
[ ]	None of the above

This means that the more force that is applied to an object, the greater the amount of energy stored will be. Also, the energy will be a multiple of some constant

Which formula correctly states the relationship between force and extension?

[ ]	F = e
[ ]	F= 2k x e
[ ]	F = k x 2e
[x]	F = k x e

This only applies below the limit of proportionality

What does k represent in the formula in question 5?

[ ]	The force on the object
[ ]	The extension of the object
[x]	The spring constant
[ ]	The constant of extension

It is only relevant to elastic materials that obey Hooke's law

If a material has a spring constant of 10 N/m and is extended by 1 m, what force must have been applied to the object?

[ ]	5 N
[x]	10 N
[ ]	20 N
[ ]	50 N

The restoring force would also be 10 newtons

What is the size of the extension of an object which has a spring constant of 30 N/m when a force of 15 N is applied?

[x]	0.5m
[ ]	1m
[ ]	2m
[ ]	10m

This question requires you to rearrange the Hooke's law equation

[ ]	5.3 N/m
[x]	5.4 N/m
[ ]	18.5 N/m
[ ]	20 N/m

This needed the Hooke's law equation rearranging and also remember the extension must be in metres

10.