A Report On: Hook'S Law and A Simple Spring
A Report On: Hook'S Law and A Simple Spring
On
HOOK’S LAW AND A SIMPLE SPRING
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procedure :
Results:
The measured positions of the top (l0) and the bottom (l1) coils of the
spring are given below in Table 1. From these distances we calculated
the length of the spring (L= l1-l0), and the extension, ΔL, which is the
difference between this extension, ΔL, and the unloaded extension of
38.8cm.
In Fig. 2 we calculate the spring constant from measuring 25 to 50
separate oscillations and calculating the period of oscillation, T. From
the average value of the period, we can use Equation 2 to calculate the
spring constant, k.
The mass used in calculating k was not merely the load attached to the
bottom of the spring. The reason for this is that the system that is
vibrating includes the spring itself. However, the entire spring does not
vibrate with the same amplitude as the load and therefore it is
reasonable to assume that the effective load is the mass hung from the
end of the spring plus some fraction of the mass of the spring. The
fraction used was 1/3 since similar experiments with other types of
springs have led to this empirical result. [Sears, Zemansky, and Young]
It was assumed that 1/3 of the mass was a reasonable approximation
to the correct value for this particular spring.
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Load L0 L1 L=L1-L0 <L> ΔL
Kg cm cm cm cm m
0 31.9 70.7 38.8 -------- -------
0 32.1 70.9 38.8 38.8 0
1 32.0 71.1 39.1 39.1 0.003
2 32.1 74.3 42.2 -------- -------
2 32.3 74.6 42.3 42.25 0.034
3 32.1 79.1 47.8 47.0 0.082
4 32.3 83.6 51.3 51.3 0.125
5 32.3 88.1 55.8 ------- -------
5 34.4 88.3 55.9 55.85 0.171
6 32.4 92.6 60.2 ------- --------
6 32.6 92.8 60.2 60.2 0.214
7 32.5 97.2 64.7 64.7 0.259
8 32.4 101.9 69.5 69.5 0.307
9 32.5 106.5 74.0 ------- --------
9 32.6 106.5 73.9 73.95 0.351
Table 1. Calculation of the spring constant from its loaded extension.
Mass of spring 70 gm All position measurements + .05 mm
All masses + 3 g
Table 2. Calculation of the spring constant using the resonant
frequency approach
oscillations Time(sec.) T(sec)
50 42.80 0.856
25 21.34 0.854
40 34.11 0.853
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<T> = .854 + .002 sec
Timing oscillator - load = 4 kg
10
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load(kg)
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Column2
4 Column1
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0
0 0.003 0.034 0.082 0.125 0.171 0.214 0.307 0.351
Discussion:
Figure 2 indicates that for loads greater than about 1.1kg (notice intercept of fit),
there is a linear relation between load and elongation but that for small loads
such a relationship fails, since the fit curve does not intercept the y axis at zero. It
is assumed that this is caused by an initial "set" in the spring which requires
some initial load to overcome. This is apparent if one stretches the spring
manually and then releases it. It seems to snap shut at the last moment. For this
reason, 0 and 1 kg were ignored and the rest of the data were treated by a least
squares analysis to determine the coefficients of first degree polynomial best fit.
These were used to plot the line on the graph. The slope of the line, ignoring
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that we need to multiply this quantity by g to calculate a value for the spring
constant of k = 217.4 ± 1.8 N/m.
In determining k dynamically, only one value of load (4.0 kg) was used. Since the
mass of the spring was 7.0 gm the value of m used to determine k from equation
(2) was 4.023 kg. This together with <T> = .854 ± .002 sec gives
K=4(pi)^2*m/T^2=217.7 ±1.0N/m
These two values of k show agreement within the limits of accuracy of the
experiment and as such are evidence that the spring used, at least over a range of
loads from 2 to 9 kg, obeys Hooke's Law.
If the dynamic experiment were extended by using a range of masses and a graph
of T2 as a function of m were constructed, a linear plot should result for this
graph.
T^2=(2*pi^2)*(m+mo)/k
where mo would be the effective mass of the spring. This would give a more
reliable result than the estimate of 1/3 of the spring mass used here.
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Conclusion:
Hooke's Law says that the stretch of a spring is directly proportional to the
applied force. (Engineers say "Stress is proportional to strain".) In symbols, F =
kx, where F is the force, x is the stretch, and k is a constant of proportionality. If
Hooke's Law is correct, then, the graph of force versus stretch will be a straight
line.
Reference:
sample formal report lab .pdf
wriiten by: DONALD C. PECKHAM
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