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coil spring
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coil spring

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Quick Summary

A coil spring is a type of spring that is flat-spiral, volute, or helical in shape. These springs are elastic components designed to deflect under load and return to their original shape when the load is removed. This ability to store energy is useful for arresting moving loads or as a power source.12

A common example of a coil spring is the helical spring, which resembles a screw thread and can be used to carry, pull, or push loads. These springs are essential in various applications, including automobile suspension systems, gun-recoil mechanisms, and closing valves. Coil springs can also demonstrate longitudinal wave motion, where vibrations occur in the same direction as the wave's advance, such as when a compressed spring is released.23

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. coil spring
  2. longitudinal wave
  3. spring

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