Spring compression is the change in length or height of a spring when a force is applied to it. This change is measured in meters and is directly related to the amount of force applied.
Spring compression can be calculated using Hooke's Law, which states that the force applied to a spring is directly proportional to the spring's change in length or height. The formula for calculating spring compression is F = -kx, where F is the force applied, k is the spring constant, and x is the change in length or height.
The spring constant is a measure of the stiffness of a spring, or how much force is required to produce a certain amount of spring compression. It is typically measured in Newtons per meter (N/m).
The spring constant can be determined by conducting an experiment where the amount of force applied to a spring is varied and the resulting change in length or height is measured. The spring constant can then be calculated by rearranging the formula F = -kx to solve for k.
To solve for spring compression in a specific scenario, you will need to know the force applied, the spring constant, and the initial length or height of the spring. Plug these values into the formula F = -kx and solve for x to determine the spring compression. In the scenario given (2.3kg dropped 4.82m), we would need to know the spring constant of the spring in question to calculate the spring compression.