The equivalent stiffness of two springs of stiffness S1 and S2 joined...
Equivalent stiffness of spring for series combination
Equivalent stiffness of spring for parallel combination:
Seq = S1 + S2
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The equivalent stiffness of two springs of stiffness S1 and S2 joined...
Equivalent stiffness of two springs in series:
When two springs are joined in series, their equivalent stiffness can be calculated using the formula:
Equivalent stiffness (Se) = S1 * S2 / (S1 + S2)
Where,
S1 = Stiffness of the first spring
S2 = Stiffness of the second spring
Now, let's understand why the correct answer is option 'A'.
Explanation:
To find the equivalent stiffness of two springs joined in series, we need to consider how the springs behave when they are connected in this manner.
When springs are connected in series, they experience the same force. The total displacement of the springs is the sum of their individual displacements.
Let's consider the displacements of the two springs as x1 and x2 respectively. The force acting on each spring can be calculated using Hooke's law:
Force1 = S1 * x1
Force2 = S2 * x2
Since the force acting on both springs is the same (as they are connected in series), we can equate the forces:
S1 * x1 = S2 * x2
Now, let's find the equivalent stiffness (Se) using the definition of stiffness:
Se = Force / Displacement
For the equivalent stiffness of the two springs in series, we can write:
Se = (S1 * x1 + S2 * x2) / (x1 + x2)
Now, let's simplify the equation further:
Se = (S1 * x1 + S2 * x2) / (x1 + x2)
= (S1 * (x1 + x2) + S2 * (x1 + x2)) / (x1 + x2)
= (S1 + S2) * (x1 + x2) / (x1 + x2)
= S1 + S2
So, the equivalent stiffness (Se) of two springs joined in series is given by S1 + S2, which corresponds to option 'A': S1S2/(S1 + S2).
Hence, option 'A' is the correct answer.