The two ends of a spring are displaced along the length of the spring. All displacements have equal magnitudes. In which case or cases the tension or compression in the spring will have a maximum magnitude?

Question

The two ends of a spring are displaced along the length of the spring. All displacements have equal magnitudes. In which case or cases the tension or compression in the spring will have a maximum magnitude?

Philoid · Accepted Answer

Looking into the fig. on right side-

When the right end is stretched towards the right and the left end towards the left, expansion takes place and hence tension will exist and the spring has maximum displacement and maximum tension.

When the right end is stretched towards the left and the left end towards the right, compression comes into play and the spring will have maximum displacement and maximum compression