According to Hooke’s Law, what does the force required to stretch a spring depend on?

Hooke's Law states that the force required to stretch or compress a spring is directly proportional to the distance the spring is either stretched or compressed from its resting position. This relationship is often expressed mathematically as ( F = kx ), where ( F ) is the applied force, ( k ) is the spring constant (which depends on the spring's material and design), and ( x ) is the distance the spring is displaced from its equilibrium position.

When a spring is stretched or compressed, the amount of force needed to maintain that displacement increases linearly with the distance of that stretch or compression. Therefore, the distance the spring is stretched or compressed is the primary factor influencing the force required, adhering directly to Hooke's Law.

The other factors listed—such as the temperature of the spring material, the type of material used, and the mass attached to the spring—can affect the spring's behavior or characteristics but do not determine the relationship defined by Hooke's Law regarding the specific force relative to distance. Hence, the correct understanding of Hooke’s Law centers on the relationship between force and the distance of stretch or compression.