Skip Navigation
Search

Hooke'S Law And Shm

Purpose

To quantitatively demonstrate how the spring constant effects the period of a mass on a spring.

Equipment

4 200g masses, 2-meter scale, C-clamp, aluminum block, table clamp, pendulum clamp, 5 foot rod, display timer, small combination square.◙

Images

g1-31

Description

Determine the spring constant from the relationship F=kx using various numbers of 200 gram weights◙hanging from the spring. Hang groups of 200 gram weights from the spring and create vertical oscillations, obtaining the period usin g the manual timer. Compare with the period calculated from the relation T = 2 pi SQRT (m/k), where k was obtained above. ◙This can be compared with actual integration of the equations of motion using a computer.◙

References

Lecture Demonstration Records Sheet. ◙Exerts from Physics 117 lab.