Kimberlee Coley
Lab 5
Hypothesis: Two identical springs in series (end to end) have a force constant, K*, which is half
1
that of a single spring i.e. K* ¿ k .
2
Aim: To investigate if two identical springs in series (end to end) have a force constant K*
which is half the spring constant of a single spring.
Apparatus: two identical springs, ruler, 50g, 100g, 150g, 200g, 250g, 300g masses, retort stand
and clamp / horizontal support
Diagram of apparatus:
Single Spring
Springs in series
Mass
DIAGRAM SHOWING SETUP OF APPARATUS FOR THE
EXPERIMENT
Method:
1. Set up apparatus as shown in the first diagram.
2. Displace the spring from its equilibrium position by moving the mass to a reasonable
length downwards.
3. When the spring is oscillating smoothly up and down, measure and record the time, t for
20 oscillations.
4. Repeat step 3 two more times and record the values for the three trials and determine an
average time for 20 oscillations.
5. Repeat steps 2 and 3 by increasing the mass by 50g each time, until six set of readings are
recorded.
6. Record your readings in a suitable table and plot a graph of T 2 against m.
7. Calculate the spring constant K from the slope of the graph and record it.
8. Repeat steps 1 to 6 using the two identical springs in series as set up in the second
diagram.
Kimberlee Coley
Lab 5
Variables:
Responding – period
Manipulating – mass
Controlled – type of spring
Data to be collected:
Table 1: TABLE OF DATA COLLECTED FOR A SINGLE SPRING
Mass (m)/g Time of 20 oscillations (t)/ s T = t/20 /s
1 2 3 average
50
100
150
200
250
300
Slope of the graph: ___________
Spring constant: ______________
Table 2: TABLE OF DATA COLLECTED FOR THE TWO IDENTICAL SPRINGS IN
SERIES
Mass (m)/g Time of 20 oscillations (t)/ s T = t/20 /s
1 2 3 average
50
100
150
200
250
300
Slope of the graph: __________
Spring constant: _____________
Kimberlee Coley
Lab 5
T 2 /S
Mass / g
Expected results:
The spring constant is the characteristics of a spring which is defined as the ratio of the force
acting on the spring to the displacement caused by it, therefore it is the force required to
stretch the spring per unit length. We expect to get a graph of a straight line through the
origin when the period squared is plotted against mass. Since both springs are the same, each
spring will have the same spring constant, the springs in series will act as a single spring with
Kimberlee Coley
Lab 5
spring constant k. It is expected that the springs in series will have a spring constant that is
half that of a single spring because since there is twice as much as much coils it will stretch
twice as much. If will be easier to stretch when the same mass is applied to the springs in
series also since it stretches further in means it is not as stiff as the single spring and a stiffer
spring has a larger spring constant. This can be proven mathematically. According to
Hooke’s Law f = ke for the springs in series, for spring 1 f = k1 x e1, for the second spring f
f f 1 1
= k2 x e2 therefore e1 + e2 = + which is equivalent to e1 + e2 =f ( + )
k1 k2 k1 k2
1 2 k
plugging this into Hooke’s law gives
keff
=()
k
so keff = since the springs are similar.
2
Treatment of results
After the gradient is calculated the spring constant can be found.
m
2
T2 m
=( T ¿ ¿ 2= m
T = 2π
√ k 2π √
k 4π
2
=
k
2 4 π2
T =m
k
4 π2
Gradient =
k
4 π2
Therefore k =
gradient
Source of error/limitation
1. Age of the spring, if spring is old it this might affect the extent to which it stretches.
2. Human reaction time might be too fast or too slow when recording time.
Assumption
It is assumed that the spring is massless.
