What Does
Hooke’s Law Mean?
Hooke’s Law refers to a physics law of elasticity, which states that the force required to stretch an elastic material (such as a spring) is directly proportional to the distance of the extension or compression of said material. Hooke’s law is often used to describe and predict deformation of materials during occurrences like plastic deformation, elastic deformation and corrosion.
Corrosionpedia Explains Hooke’s Law
Hooke’s Law was established in the year 1660 by the scientist Robert Hooke. It is often represented using the following mathematical equation:
F = kx
Where:
F is the force applied to an elastic material
x is the length of extension or compression of the same material
k is the constant of proportionality (referred to as the spring constant)
The greater the forces applied to a metal surface, the greater the likelihood of such a metal reaching a state of irreparable elongation or compression. Such metals are thus more prone to pitting and crevice corrosion, which are more likely to occur under states of significant external stress.