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Grade 11Mechanics

a stiff horizontal spring of weight W and force constant k is suspended in a horizontal position by two light strings attached to its two ends. Each strings makes an angle theta with the vertical. The extension of the spring is:

Profile image of Arulyan Asokan
10 Years agoGrade 11
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2 Answers

Profile image of Anirudh Raghavan S
9 Years ago
The tensions are equal, so the sum of their horizontal components is equal to the tension in the spring, so 

2 T sin(theta) = kx. 

Also, the sum of the vertical components of the tension equals the weight, or 

2Tcos(theta)=W 

Solve for T in the latter and plug into the former, solve for x and you get: 

x = (2W tan (theta))/k
Profile image of Thriller
6 Years ago
Horizontal components of tensions are equal in magnitude but they are different directions, so
Tsin(theta)-Tsin(theta)=kx
=> x=0