Given below are two statements, one labeled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R). **Assertion (A):** When a spring is stretched or compressed by the same distance x, the work done by the spring force is negative in both cases. **Reason (R):** The spring force is always directed opposite to the displacement of the free end from its mean position. Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Options:

• A: Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
• B: Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
• C: A is true but R is false
• D: A is false but R is true

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