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every spring will have a linear regime
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in which the force is linearly proportional to the stretching.
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It also tells you that if you compress the spring,
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compress it means x is now--
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x is measured from this position,
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where the spring is neither compressed nor expanded.
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So x is not really the coordinate of the end point.
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You've got to understand that.
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Springs have a natural length;
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x is measured from that length.
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If it's positive,
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it means you've stretched it,