Investigating Springs

• What is the first step to investigate springs?

  Measure natural length of spring
• What happens when mass is added to the spring?

  It causes the spring to extend
• How is force calculated in the spring experiment?

  Force = weight of masses = mg
• What does 'm' represent in the force calculation?

  Total mass on spring
• What does 'g' represent in the force calculation?

  Gravitational field strength
• How is extension defined in the context of the spring experiment?

  Extension = new length - natural length
• What should you do after calculating force and extension for one mass?

  Add another mass and repeat calculations
• How many masses should be used in the experiment?

  At least 6 masses
• What are the independent and dependent variables in the spring investigation?

  • Independent Variable: Force applied to spring
  • Dependent Variable: Extension of the spring
• What equipment is needed for the spring investigation?

  • Clamp
  • Spring
  • Fixed ruler
  • Marker
  • Hanging mass
  • Masses
  • Weighted stand
• What units are used for force and extension in the experiment?

  Force (N) and Extension (m)
• Why is it important to repeat the measurements with different masses?

  To establish a reliable relationship between force and extension