Hooke's Law describes the force on a spring as proportional to its displacement. Which term represents displacement?

• A. Mass
• B. Displacement
• C. Angle
• D. Velocity

Answer: (B)

Hooke's Law links force to how far the spring is moved from its natural length. The quantity that describes that motion is displacement—the amount the spring has been stretched (positive) or compressed (negative) along its length. It’s measured in meters and is the variable that directly scales the restoring force in F = -k × displacement.

Mass relates to inertia or weight, not the amount of stretch. Angle describes rotational position, not linear stretch. Velocity tells how fast the position is changing, not the current amount of displacement. So the term that represents displacement is the amount the spring has been stretched or compressed from equilibrium.