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Quick check from College Physics, 16.5 Energy and the Simple Harmonic Oscillator
Why does it hurt more if your hand is snapped with a ruler than with a loose spring, even if the displacement of each system is equal?
Answer it in your own words before you look.
The ruler is a stiffer system, which carries greater force for the same amount of displacement. The ruler snaps your hand with greater force, which hurts more.
How did it go?