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Mechanical Engineering QUESTION #2470
Question 1
A helical compression spring has \(N_a\) active coils, mean coil diameter \(D\), wire diameter \(d\), and shear modulus \(G\). The spring stiffness (spring rate) \(k\) is:
  • \(k = \frac{Gd^4}{8D^3 N_a}\)✔️
  • \(k = \frac{Gd^3}{8D^4 N_a}\)
  • \(k = \frac{8FD^3 N_a}{Gd^4}\)
  • \(k = \frac{Gd^4}{8D^3}\)
Correct Answer Explanation
The spring rate: \(k=F/\delta=Gd^4/(8D^3N_a)\). Note that \(k \propto d^4\) (strong wire diameter dependence) and \(k \propto 1/N_a\) (more coils = softer spring).