Spring Constant Lab
Experiment 2 Lab Report: Calculating the Spring Constant and Verifying that Energy is Conserved Within a System
Abstract:
An experiment was conducted to determine the spring constant of a spring in the cart by measuring the force required to compress a spring as well as the distance the spring compressed relative to the equilibrium position. A cart was placed onto a slanted track and speed and force censors were used to record appropriate data. The spring constant was determined by substituting the measured data into Hooke 's Law (Fs=-kx). This gave a spring constant of 597± 28.5 Nm-1.
A secondary experiment was also conducted to prove conservation of energy. A spring on the cart was compressed and then released, pushing the cart up the slanted track. Force, position and velocity were all measured in order to be able to calculate the energy of the cart in each of the six significant positions on the track. These values were then compared in order to …show more content…
The values of energy ranged from an initial elastic potential energy of 0.33 0.07 J through to 0.29 0.013 J as the cart lost contact with the spring. As the cart reached a maximum height its energy dropped to its lowest value of 0.184 0.03 J. The cart was then recorded to have gained energy again as it was calculated to have 0.316 0.1 J on a chosen point as the cart travelled back down the slope. Finally the cart was calculated to have 0.248 0.05 J just before it reached the bottom of the slope. This shows that although the total energy remains similar, energy is not conserved in this system. This is because energy is converted into not just the energy forms discussed. Energy is converted into heat and sound energy due to friction. Energy is also used in the rotation of the wheels. This means that this systems does not follow the
Abstract:
An experiment was conducted to determine the spring constant of a spring in the cart by measuring the force required to compress a spring as well as the distance the spring compressed relative to the equilibrium position. A cart was placed onto a slanted track and speed and force censors were used to record appropriate data. The spring constant was determined by substituting the measured data into Hooke 's Law (Fs=-kx). This gave a spring constant of 597± 28.5 Nm-1.
A secondary experiment was also conducted to prove conservation of energy. A spring on the cart was compressed and then released, pushing the cart up the slanted track. Force, position and velocity were all measured in order to be able to calculate the energy of the cart in each of the six significant positions on the track. These values were then compared in order to …show more content…
The values of energy ranged from an initial elastic potential energy of 0.33 0.07 J through to 0.29 0.013 J as the cart lost contact with the spring. As the cart reached a maximum height its energy dropped to its lowest value of 0.184 0.03 J. The cart was then recorded to have gained energy again as it was calculated to have 0.316 0.1 J on a chosen point as the cart travelled back down the slope. Finally the cart was calculated to have 0.248 0.05 J just before it reached the bottom of the slope. This shows that although the total energy remains similar, energy is not conserved in this system. This is because energy is converted into not just the energy forms discussed. Energy is converted into heat and sound energy due to friction. Energy is also used in the rotation of the wheels. This means that this systems does not follow the