Which principle applies when a spring is pulled or pushed?

The principle related to a spring being pulled or pushed is best represented by the concept of a restoring force that increases with displacement. When a spring is either stretched or compressed from its equilibrium position, it exerts a force that works to return it to that original position. This behavior is described by Hooke's Law, which states that the force exerted by the spring is directly proportional to the distance it is displaced from its equilibrium position.

As you pull or push the spring further away from its resting state, this restoring force becomes greater; thus, the spring's tendency to return to its equilibrium state intensifies with increased displacement. Therefore, the essence of the spring's behavior under force is captured by this restoring force, making it a fundamental principle in the study of mechanics and oscillatory motion.

The other options do not accurately represent the fundamental behavior of springs under deformation. Internal energy storage refers to energy held within a system, which can apply to springs but does not capture the specific dynamics of a spring's response to force. Different oscillation periods would pertain to systems that rely on mass and spring dynamics but do not directly relate to the fundamental force response of a single spring. The mass of the spring itself influences the system dynamics, but it