Harmonic Motion: The Spring

Harmonic Motion: The Spring

Objective:

The purpose of this experiment to study the simple harmonic motion of an object placed on the spring. Harmonic motion involves the principle of oscillation where the spring force is proportional to the spring?s elongation. This means that the further the spring was stretched, there was increase in the force in order to keep the spring extended. The experiment is divided into two parts. In the first part, I measured static equilibrium and in the second part, I measured the period of oscillation known as dynamic oscillation.

Apparatus:

The equipment was pole with a spring attached to top at its arm. Metric ruler was attached to the pole, which was used to measure the extension of the spring from its initial position to its final position. On the bottom of the spring, there was a hook that was used as the index point where the measurement was made. Also, the hook was used for attachment of the hanger with the slotted weight.

Theory:

In static equilibrium, force of a spring is proportional to and directed opposite to the elongation. This is represented by Hooke?s Law where the restoring force is equal to elongation distance from equilibrium multiplied by the constant force of the body. From that equation, the experimenter will know how much force is needed to be applied to the spring in order to stretch it a particular distance. The experiment also deals with dynamic oscillation that deals with the period of oscillation, which is independent of displacement. The period of oscillation is only depended on the effective mass and the spring constant.

Procedure:

1. I weighted the spring and recorded its mass.

2. I hanged the spring vertically from the arm of the pole. I used the bottom of the hook

on the spring as the reference point where I would measure the length of elongation. I

read the initial length of the spring to the nearest millimeter.

3. Then I attached the hanger with a 10 gm slotted weight. I weighted the hanger to

make sure that it is exactly 50 gm. Recorded the new position of the spring and the displacement X from the initial

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