AP Physics Slinky Lab
AP Physics Slinky Velocity Lab
Group: Asaf Yankilevich, Lily Greenwald, Yaeli Eijkenaar, Michal Antonov
2/23/15
Materials
● Slinky
● Spring weight
● Force measurer
● Measuring Tape
● Timer Procedure
1. The first slinky’s mass was weighed, using a scale, and its tension was measured using a force measurer
2. The slinky was stretched to 4m.
3. The linear mass density was solved for, by dividing the mass by the length.
4. The theoretical velocity was solved for, using the equation v =
√
Force Tension μ
5. The process was then repeated for a different length (6 m).
6. The actual velocity was then tested by stretching out the string to the preferred length (4
m) and it was moved side to side to create a longitudinal wave and the period was measured. The spring was then moved up and down to create a transversal wave and the period was measured.
7. The process was repeated for 6 m.
8. The periods of the experiments were used to find the actual velocities using the equation v = d/t. Calculations
0.61kg slinky
4 meters
μ = m/L = 0.61/4 = 0.1525 kg/m
Theoretical: v =
√
Force Tension = √1.9/0.1525 μ = 3.53 m/s
Actual: v = d/t = 8/2.5 = 3.2 m/s (for both longitudinal and transverse) 6 meters μ = m/L = 0.61/6 = 0.1017
Theoretical: v =
√
Force Tension = √2.4/0.1017 μ = 4.86 m/s
Actual: v = 12/2.25 = 5.33 m/s (for both longitudinal and transverse) 0.5kg spring
4 meters μ = m/L = 0.5/4 = 0.125 kg/m
Theoretical: v =
√
Force Tension μ
= √4.4/0.125 = 5.93 m/s
Actual: v = d/t = 8/1.4 = 5.7 m/s (for both longitudinal and transverse) 5 meters μ = m/L = 0.5/5 = 0.1kg/m
Theoretical:
√
Force Tension μ
= √6.8/0.1 = 8.24
Actual: v = d/t = 10/1.4 = 7.14 m/s (for both longitudinal and transverse) Questions 1. Why is vlongitudinal ≈ vtransverse? The two velocities are almost equal because when the period was
Group: Asaf Yankilevich, Lily Greenwald, Yaeli Eijkenaar, Michal Antonov
2/23/15
Materials
● Slinky
● Spring weight
● Force measurer
● Measuring Tape
● Timer Procedure
1. The first slinky’s mass was weighed, using a scale, and its tension was measured using a force measurer
2. The slinky was stretched to 4m.
3. The linear mass density was solved for, by dividing the mass by the length.
4. The theoretical velocity was solved for, using the equation v =
√
Force Tension μ
5. The process was then repeated for a different length (6 m).
6. The actual velocity was then tested by stretching out the string to the preferred length (4
m) and it was moved side to side to create a longitudinal wave and the period was measured. The spring was then moved up and down to create a transversal wave and the period was measured.
7. The process was repeated for 6 m.
8. The periods of the experiments were used to find the actual velocities using the equation v = d/t. Calculations
0.61kg slinky
4 meters
μ = m/L = 0.61/4 = 0.1525 kg/m
Theoretical: v =
√
Force Tension = √1.9/0.1525 μ = 3.53 m/s
Actual: v = d/t = 8/2.5 = 3.2 m/s (for both longitudinal and transverse) 6 meters μ = m/L = 0.61/6 = 0.1017
Theoretical: v =
√
Force Tension = √2.4/0.1017 μ = 4.86 m/s
Actual: v = 12/2.25 = 5.33 m/s (for both longitudinal and transverse) 0.5kg spring
4 meters μ = m/L = 0.5/4 = 0.125 kg/m
Theoretical: v =
√
Force Tension μ
= √4.4/0.125 = 5.93 m/s
Actual: v = d/t = 8/1.4 = 5.7 m/s (for both longitudinal and transverse) 5 meters μ = m/L = 0.5/5 = 0.1kg/m
Theoretical:
√
Force Tension μ
= √6.8/0.1 = 8.24
Actual: v = d/t = 10/1.4 = 7.14 m/s (for both longitudinal and transverse) Questions 1. Why is vlongitudinal ≈ vtransverse? The two velocities are almost equal because when the period was