hookes law

Main Entry: Hooke's law
Pronunciation: 'huks-
Function: noun
: a statement in physics: the stress within an elastic solid up to the elastic limit isproportional to the strain responsible for it
Hooke, Robert (1635–1703), British physicist. Hooke was an outstanding scientist who did research in a great number ofdiverse areas. In 1660 he discovered the law which now bears his name. This law laid the basis for studies of stress and strain in elastic solids.

Hooke's law (h&oobreve;ks)
n.
The principle that the stress applied to stretch or compress a body is proportional to the strain or to the change in length thus produced, so long as the limit of elasticity of the body is not exceeded.

Hooke's law   (hks)  Pronunciation Key  A law stating that the stress applied to a material is proportional to the strain on that material. For example, if a stress on a metal bar of ten newtons per square centimeter causes it to be compressed by four millimeters, then a stress of 20 newtons per square centimeter will cause the bar to be compressed by eight millimeters. Hooke's law generally holds only up to the elastic limit of stress for that material. See also modulus of elasticity.