Chapter 5 - Work and Energy - Learning Path Questions and Exercises - Conceptual Questions - Page 173: 7

The work done in second compression is 3 times of that in first compression.

When expansion is from 0cm to 2cm, the work done is directly proportional to $2^{2}-0^{2}=4$ When expansion if from 2cm to 4cm, the work done is directly proportional to $4^{2}-2^{2}=16-4=12$ So, the work done in the latter case is 3 times the first case.