According to Hooke's Law, what is the equation relating force to displacement for springs?

Hooke's Law describes the relationship between the force exerted by a spring and the displacement of that spring from its equilibrium position. The correct equation, Fs = -kx, indicates that the force exerted by the spring (Fs) is proportional to the displacement (x) of the spring, with k being the spring constant that determines the stiffness of the spring.

The negative sign in the equation is crucial as it shows that the force exerted by the spring is in the opposite direction to the displacement. This means that if the spring is compressed or stretched, the spring will exert a force in the direction that attempts to restore it to its equilibrium position. Essentially, Hooke's Law emphasizes the restorative nature of springs, highlighting their tendency to return to their natural length.

The other choices provided either lack the necessary negative sign that accounts for the direction of the force or incorrectly suggest that the force relates to the square of the displacement, which is not consistent with Hooke’s Law for linear springs. Thus, the correct representation of Hooke's Law is captured by Fs = -kx.