What does Hooke's Law describe about springs?

Hooke's Law fundamentally describes the relationship between the force exerted on a spring and the resulting extension or compression of that spring. Specifically, it states that the extension (or compression) of a spring is directly proportional to the applied force, as long as the elastic limit of the spring is not exceeded. Mathematically, this is expressed as F = kx, where F is the force applied, k is the spring constant, and x is the displacement from the equilibrium position.

In this context, the correct answer highlights that as you apply a greater tension force to the spring, it will stretch more, and this relationship holds true until the material properties of the spring are no longer able to maintain elasticity. This principle is essential in many physical applications, including engineering and material sciences, where understanding the behavior of springs under load is crucial.

Other options do not capture the essence of Hooke's Law: the weight a spring can hold pertains to the maximum load before failure, the pitch of the coils relates to the design and not the behavior under force, and the speed at which a spring returns to its original shape involves dynamics rather than the static relationship between force and displacement that Hooke's Law describes.