Mass-Spring System Lab 1
http://phet.colorado.edu/new/simulations/sims.php?sim=Masses_and_Springs
Go to the link above and select the Masses & Springs activity.
You may then select RUN NOW! or RUN OFFLINE. If you select to RUN OFFLINE,
you will instructed how to download the activity to your computer.
Part 1
5 points
Create a plot from the data you acquire to determine the spring constant of Spring 1, the
left spring, using Hooke’s Law. You are to use the plot to determine the spring constant.
Part 2
5 points
Determine the mass of the three unknown masses. Show all calculations.
Part 3
10 points
Place Spring 3 setting to the softest stiffness setting.
Create a plot from the data you acquire to determine the spring constant of Spring 3.
Your data is to include 6 different masses and the period of oscillation of each mass. DO
NOT REPEAT THE HOOKE’S LAW PROCEDURE found in Part 1.
What to turn in:
Data Table(s)
Plot(s)
Calculations
Results with an explanation of how the plot(s) were used to determine the result
Please clearly label each part.
F  10.17x  0.0098
Red
Gold
Green
Stretch – x (m)
0.30
0.155
0.065
Force – F (N)
3.06
1.59
0.671
Mass (g)
312
162
68.5
The appropriate fit is the y  A x
1
A  2
k
 2 
k

 A
k = 1.88 N/m
2
UNCHANGED STIFFNESS DATA
k = 9.94 N/m