Plotting Graphs in Excel: For Use With Your Hooke's Law Data

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Plotting Graphs in Excel
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For Use with Your Hooke’s Law Data
2017
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J A HARGREAVES
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USE OF EXCEL 2010 PHYSICS- A GRAPH OF HOOKE’S LAW
Click on Home
Insert data, or open up your

existing spreadsheet.
J A Hargreaves 1
First highlight the data that you want to plot. As these

are not next to each other you should click in the first
column and drag down the cells that you want to plot,
then holding down the CONTROL key repeat for the
other column. This involves the left mouse- try it!
Go to INSERT and then SCATTER graph. Plot the first

graph the dots without lines.
J A Hargreaves 2
The quick way to make a good graph is to

select the template within the DESIGN tab,
with a straighline and lots of gridlines. This
will almost give the graph we want which we
can just edit.
However, if you want to start from scratch see
the next slide and advanced section.
Do check that your gaph looks correct. Sometimes Excel has a huff and produces nonsense. Usually you need to go back
start again and only highlight the data and not the headings! It doesn’t like blanks in cells, so don’t leave any!
J A Hargreaves 3
Ensure the graph has been selected.

Click on Chart Tools – Layout.
You can then insert Chart and Axes Click on Legend – select none.
Titles and label axes with units.
J A Hargreaves 4
We want to move the graph as it is too

small. Click on move chart within the
design menu and click move to a new
page and it will fill a whole A4 page.
You want to delete this “legend” as it is

taking up too much. Select this legend
and click delete
J A Hargreaves 5
J A Hargreaves 6
Once you get the move chart option click

on “ new sheet” and give your graph a
name. In this case Hooke’s Law
Click on the axes and give them names.

It ought to have a quantity and unit.
These are separated by a “\”
J A Hargreaves 7
Click on the axes and give them names. It ought

to have a quantity and unit. These are
separated by a “\” Titles can be added to this
box and click return when finished.
J A Hargreaves 8
We want small points or crosses not great blobs.

Click on the data points on your graph to highlight
them, then right click on the mouse until you get
a format data series menu. At the bottom. Click
on format data series and then change the marker
options from the built in menu to about 5 point
and + or x shape.
J A Hargreaves 9
Click on the Chart Title in the Layout menu and give

your graph a name. In this case it can be Hooke’s
Law, but generally for graphs you would give it the
title of
“A Graph of {Y axis} against {X- axis}” by {Name}
J A Hargreaves 10
Now we can format our axis and make

sure our scale is the best it can be.
Either right click on the axis or go to the
top menus. Set the scale to be as large
as possible with minimum gap at the top.
J A Hargreaves 11
A different way to get to the axes menu
J A Hargreaves 12
The axis menu. Fix the maximum and

minimum values. Make sure that the minor
units are multiples of the major unit. Or
your scale will be terrible! Try it you can
always change it!
Repeat for the other axis. You can use a
different scale –use what fits!
J A Hargreaves 13
These are the settings I used for the X-

axis.
J A Hargreaves 14
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION – ADVANCED GRAPHING & ALTERNATIVE METHODS

Use of Excel 2010 in AH Physics
J A Hargreaves 15
Click on Home
Insert data, including uncertainties.

Full stop in front of uncertainties stops “arith. operation”.
J A Hargreaves 16
Highlight data to be plotted.

Click on Insert, then select
“Scatter”
J A Hargreaves 17
Ensure the graph has been selected.

Click on Chart Tools – Layout.
Click on Legend – select none.
You can then insert Chart and Axes

Titles and label axes with units.
J A Hargreaves 18
Select Gridlines. Insert Major and

Minor Gridlines – horizontal and
vertical.
Again ensure the graph has been
selected.
J A Hargreaves 19
Click on Trendline
Select “More Trendline Options”.
Select “linear” if appropriate.
J A Hargreaves 20
Click on “Display
Equation on Chart”
J A Hargreaves 21
Custom Error Bars
Click on Error Bars –

select More Error Bars
Options
J A Hargreaves 22
Select Both
Click on
Custom and
then
Specify
Value
J A Hargreaves 23
Click to highlight
data insertion
box.
Click and drag down column to insert
value of +Y in data box.
Repeat for Negative Error Value
Click Okay
J A Hargreaves 24
To select horizontal error bars, click on any

horizontal error bar on the graph.
J A Hargreaves 25
Changes to Horizontal
Error Bars
This should now read “Horizontal Error

Bars”.
Repeat the procedure to enter
customised horizontal error bars.
J A Hargreaves 26
Click, Drag down

vertical column
to insert data in Click to highlight
box. data insertion
Click okay box.
J A Hargreaves 27
To change dot size / shape. ( Use Format Data Series)
Doubleclick or right click just next to

one of the points.
Format Data Series should open.

If you get Format Trendline or Format
Error bar then you have clicked on the
line, point or error bar.
Select Marker Options.
Built in. Choose style and size
J A Hargreaves 28
J A Hargreaves 29
Increase the size of the graph to at least half a page.
Graph of Y vs X
14
12 f(x) = 1.26 x − 0.29
10
Y / units
6
0
1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0
X / Units
J A Hargreaves 30
Uncertainty in Gradient, Intercept - Use of Linest
Highlight four cells.

Type in
=LINEST(B2:B6,A2:A6,TRUE,TRUE)
Hold down Ctrl, Shift and press enter.
(CMD, Shift and enter on Apple computers).
Y Range X Range
of Cells of Cells
J A Hargreaves 31
J A Hargreaves 32
J A Hargreaves 33
Y Intercept
Gradient
Uncertainty in
Uncertainty
in Gradient Y Intercept
J A Hargreaves 34

Plotting Graphs in Excel: For Use With Your Hooke's Law Data

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qwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdf

USE OF EXCEL 2010 PHYSICS- A GRAPH OF HOOKE’S LAW

Insert data, or open up your

First highlight the data that you want to plot. As these

Go to INSERT and then SCATTER graph. Plot the first

The quick way to make a good graph is to

Ensure the graph has been selected.

We want to move the graph as it is too

You want to delete this “legend” as it is

Once you get the move chart option click

Click on the axes and give them names.

Click on the axes and give them names. It ought

We want small points or crosses not great blobs.

Click on the Chart Title in the Layout menu and give

Now we can format our axis and make

A different way to get to the axes menu

The axis menu. Fix the maximum and

These are the settings I used for the X-

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION – ADVANCED GRAPHING & ALTERNATIVE METHODS

Insert data, including uncertainties.

Highlight data to be plotted.

Ensure the graph has been selected.

Click on Legend – select none.

You can then insert Chart and Axes

Select Gridlines. Insert Major and

Custom Error Bars

Click on Error Bars –

Repeat for Negative Error Value

To select horizontal error bars, click on any

This should now read “Horizontal Error

Click, Drag down

To change dot size / shape. ( Use Format Data Series)

Doubleclick or right click just next to

Format Data Series should open.

Select Marker Options.

Built in. Choose style and size

Increase the size of the graph to at least half a page.

12 f(x) = 1.26 x − 0.29

Uncertainty in Gradient, Intercept - Use of Linest

Highlight four cells.

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