Running head: HOOKE’S LAW EXPERIMENT 1

Hooke’s Law Experiment

Student’s Name

Institution’s Name
HOOKE’S LAW EXPERIMENT 2

Hooke’s Law Experiment

2. Introduction

In an ideal spring, the force generated is linearly dependent on the distance over which the spring

is stretched. This behavior is summarized in what is referred to as Hooke’s law. According to

this law, the restoring force in a spring that is stretched is directly proportional to the elongation,

X that is obtained provided the elastic limit is not exceeded. During this experiment, the

relationship between the applied force, F and the elongation of the spring, X was studied closely

so as to determine the spring constant, k. this constant measures how stiff the spring is.

The objective of this experiment is therefore to determine the spring constant by analyzing the

relationship between the force that is applied at the spring’s end and the distance over which the

spring elongates. It is found that when a small mass is attached to the spring’s lower end, the

spring elongates for a distance x due to the influence of this weight. This relationship can be

expressed as:

W=mg.

Where W is the force due to the weight, m is the mass, and g is the gravitational weight. When at

rest, this force that acts downwards is balanced by the spring’s restoring force that acts upwards.

Thus,

W=F=mg.

According to Hooke’s law, the restoring force can be expressed as:

F=-kx;

Where k, the spring constant, is expressed in N/m and the elongation, x, is in meters (m). The

negative sign indicates that the restoring force acts in a direction opposite to that of elongation
HOOKE’S LAW EXPERIMENT 3

provided the elastic limit is not exceeded. The slope of the graph of force versus elongation gives

the spring constant, k.

3. Apparatus Required

 Pendulum clamp

 Road with a base

 Ruler

 Spring

 Hooked masses